Built-in appliance intended for a motor vehicle

• US 6,681,104 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2000
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Scheuer, Wilfried, Lauth, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, TUAN A
• Application Number:
  US09/561,774
• Time in Patent Office: 1,361 Days
• Field of Search: 455/344-351, 455/186.1, 455/90.3, 455/575.1, 455/550.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.2
• US Class Current: 455/345
• 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

Abstract

A built-in appliance for a motor vehicle, wherein the appliance is designed as a radio telephone, comprising an introduction orifice for a storage card arranged on a front side of the built-in appliance. The introduction orifice is capable of being closed by a cover which serves at the same time as an operating element. As a result, the available space on the front side is not reduced, as compared with conventional built-in appliances. At the same time, it is easy for a user to extract the storage card which, moreover, is protected against environmental influences by the cover.

Claims

1. A built-in appliance for a motor vehicle, comprising an operating element for actuating a function of the built-in appliance, and an introduction orifice designed for the insertion of a storage card into a reading unit of the built-in appliance, wherein the introduction orifice is arranged on a front side of the built-in appliance, said front side facing the user, wherein said introduction orifice is capable of being closed by a cover carrying the operating element, and wherein said cover conceals only a portion of the whole of the front side of the built in appliance.

2. The built-in appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operating element is designed for transmitting mechanical actuating force to a switching point arranged on the built-in appliance.

3. The built-in appliance according to claim 1, wherein the cover is designed as a rocker pivotable for the purpose of transmitting an actuating force.

4. The built-in appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover is fixed in its position by means of a manually actuable catch connection.

5. The built-in appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover has an area slightly larger than that of the introduction orifice.

6. The built-in appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover includes at least one recess and the built-in appliance includes at least one projection engaging into the latter.

7. The built-in appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage card has a coding that is necessary for operating the built-in appliance.

8. The built-in appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage card is a network card of a radio telephone network.

9. The built-in appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the built-in appliance further comprises a writing unit for storing data on the storage card.

10. A built-in appliance for a motor vehicle comprising:

a first portion of said appliance, wherein said first portion is fixedly attached to said vehicle;

an introduction orifice in said first portion through which a storage card may be inserted, said introduction orifice being located on a side of said first portion facing a user; and

a second portion of said appliance attached to said first portion, wherein said second portion substantially covers said introduction orifice said second portion comprises an operating element for said built-in appliance, and said second portion covers only a portion of the whole of the first portion of the built-in appliance.

11. The appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second portion transmits a mechanical actuating force to a switching point on said first portion.

12. The appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second portion comprises a pivotal rocker switch.

13. The appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second portion is removably attached by a manually actuable catch connection.

14. The appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second portion has at least one recess that is enageable with at least one projection on said first portion.

15. The appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein said storage card has a coding necessary for operating the built-in appliance.

16. The appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein said storage card is a network card for a radio telephone network.

17. The appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second portion is removably attached to said first portion.

18. The appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first portion further comprises a writing unit for storing data on the storage card and a reading unit for reading data on the storage card.

19. A built-in appliance for a motor vehicle comprising:

a first portion of said appliance, wherein said first portion is fixedly attached to said vehicle;

an introduction orifice in said first portion through which a storage card may be inserted, said introduction orifice being located on a side of said first portion facing a user;

a second portion of said appliance removably attached to said first portion by a manually actuable catch connection, wherein said second portion substantially covers said introduction orifice and said second portion comprises an operating element for said built-in appliance, wherein said second portion transmits a mechanical actuating force to a switching point on the first portion, and wherein and said second portion covers only a portion of the whole of the first portion of the built-in appliance.

20. The appliance as claimed in claim 19, wherein said storage card has coding necessary for the operation of the built-in appliance and said storage card is a network card, and wherein the built-in appliance further comprises a writing unit for storing data on said storage card and a reading unit for reading data on said data card.