Mounting structure including communication system for transmitting multiplex control signal to vehicle electrical devices

• US 6,756,697 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Furukawa Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Furukawa Electric Company Limited, Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Inventors: Asakura, Fumio, Watanabe, Yuichi, Mizutani, Satoshi, Matsuda, Yutaka, Hayashi, Ikuo, Tsuge, Shigeto, Shinoda, Yoshio, Shikata, Kazushi
• Primary Examiner(s): TOATLEY, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US10/133,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20020158512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 361/683, 312/223.1, 312/223.4, 312/223.6, 248/550
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/46 Electrical connections
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/828 Mounting or fastening exchangeable modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/46 Electrical connections
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/828 Exchangeable modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/50 Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle B60K35/231 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0256 Dashboard liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0005 Dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2013/0287 integrating other functions or accessories

Abstract

A mounting structure for mounting accessories on a designed interior member in a vehicle compartment includes a plurality of mounting portions. Each of the mounting portions includes a non-contact type power sending terminal and a vehicle-side antenna. The mounting portion transmits power from the battery of the vehicle via the non-contact type power sending terminal, and further transmits a multiplex signal that includes all the control signals required for controlling a plurality of accessories via the vehicle-side antenna. A user can mount an accessory arbitrarily selected from the plurality of accessories on any of the mounting portions without newly installing the required wiring, and therefore readily replace the accessories mounted on the mounting portions.

Claims

1. A mounting structure for at least one vehicle electrical device comprising:

a mounting portion on which said one vehicle electrical device is mounted, said mounting portion being disposed on an interior member in a vehicle compartment and including communication means for transmitting a first electrical signal received from a vehicle to said one vehicle electrical device, wherein;

said first electrical signal is a multiplex signal which includes a plurality of control signals, each control signal of said plurality of control signals controlling a respective one of a plurality of vehicle electrical devices;

said communication means is connected to a signal converter to which wiring for transferring a second electrical signal other than said first electrical signal from said vehicle is connected;

said signal converter extracts said plurality of control signals from said second electrical signals and multiplexes said extracted plurality of control signals into said first electrical signal; and

said communication means receives said first electrical signal from said signal converter.

2. A mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein said interior member is an instrument panel and said mounting portion is arranged on a top surface of said instrument panel.

3. A mounting structure as in claim 2, wherein said instrument panel includes a detachable cover member on its top surface and said mounting portion is arranged on said cover member.

4. A mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein said mounting portion includes mounting means which enables a user to mount said one vehicle electrical device on said mounting portion in a single procedure.

5. A mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein said mounting portion is one of a plurality of mounting portions each of which is disposed on said interior member and includes communication means for transmitting said first electrical signal to an electrical device mounted thereon.

6. A mounting structure as in claim 5, wherein said signal converter is a single signal converter which alone transmits said first electrical signal to said communication means of said plurality of mounting portions.

7. A mounting structure as in claim 5, wherein said communication means of each of said plurality of mounting portions performs two-way communication with an electrical device mounted thereon.

8. A mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein said communication means performs wireless communication with said one vehicle electrical device utilizing an electromagnetic wave.

9. A mounting structure as in claim 8, wherein said electromagnetic wave is infrared light.

10. A mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein said communication means is a contact-type first communication terminal which communicates with a second communication terminal provided in said one vehicle electrical device touching said second communication terminal.

11. A mounting structure as in claim 10, wherein:

one of said first communication terminal and said second communication terminal includes an elastic member; and

when said one vehicle electrical device is mounted on said mounting portion, said elastic member touches the other of said first communication terminal and said second communication terminal while deformed so that said second communication terminal is pressed against said first communication terminal by an elastic force of said elastic member.

12. A mounting structure as in claim 10, wherein said second communication terminal is connected to said first communication terminal as a result of mounting said one vehicle electrical device on said mounting portion.

13. A mounting structure as in claim 10, wherein said second communication terminal is a cylindrical plug and said first communication terminal is a jack into which said plug is inserted.

14. A mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein said mounting portion includes non-contact type power transmission means which transmits power from a battery of the vehicle to said one vehicle electrical device without touching said one vehicle electrical device.

15. A mounting structure as in claim 14, wherein said non-contact type power transmission means has a circular surface opposite to said one vehicle electrical device which is mounted on said mounting portion.

16. A mounting structure as in claim 14, wherein:

transmission of power to said one vehicle electrical device is suppressed based on at least one of a first criterion and a second criterion;

said first criterion is that an amount of power consumed by said non-contact type power transmission means is equal to or larger than a predetermined upper threshold; and

said second criterion is that the amount of power consumed by said non-contact type power transmission means is equal to or less than a predetermined lower threshold.

17. A mounting structure as in claim 14, wherein said mounting portion includes control means for controlling, based on a proper voltage or said one vehicle electrical devices, an amount of power transmitted to said one vehicle electrical device which is mounted on said mounting portion.

18. A mounting structure as in claim 17, wherein said control means receives an identification signal from said one vehicle electrical device and controls the amount of power transmitted to said one vehicle electrical device based on said identification signal.

19. A mounting structure as in claim 18, wherein said control means suppresses transmission of power to said one vehicle electrical device when said identification signal is not received from said one vehicle electrical device.

20. A mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein said mounting portion includes a power sending terminal which transmits power from a battery of the vehicle to a power receiving terminal included in said one vehicle electrical device touching said power receiving terminal.

21. A mounting structure as in claim 20, wherein:

one of said power sending terminal and said power receiving terminal includes an elastic member; and

when said one vehicle electrical device is mounted on said mounting portion, said elastic member touches the other of said power sending terminal and said power receiving terminal while deformed so that said power receiving terminal is pressed against said power sending terminal by an elastic force of said elastic member.

22. A mounting structure as in claim 20, wherein said power receiving terminal is connected to said power sending terminal as a result of mounting said one vehicle electrical device on said mounting portion.

23. A mounting structure as in claim 20, wherein:

said mounting portion is a cavity formed on a designed surface of said interior member;

a user mounts said one vehicle electrical device on said mounting portion by partially inserting said one vehicle electrical device into said cavity; and

said power receiving terminal is annularly formed on said one vehicle electrical device around an axis which extends in a longitudinal direction of said cavity.

24. A mounting structure as in claim 20, wherein:

said mounting portion includes a link member;

said one vehicle electrical device actuates said link member by pressing said link member when said one vehicle electrical device is mounted on said mounting portion; and

said power sending terminal touches said power receiving terminal after said link member is actuated.

25. A mounting structure as in claim 20, wherein:

said one vehicle electrical device has a casing from which a convex portion protrudes and said convex portion includes said power receiving terminal;

said mounting portion includes a concave portion which has a shape complementary to a shape of said convex portion and said concave portion includes said power sending terminal;

said power receiving terminal is properly connected to said power sending terminal as a result of inserting said convex portion into said concave portion; and

said mounting portion includes a guide adjacent to said concave portion for guiding said convex portion into said concave portion.

26. A mounting structure as in claim 20, wherein said mounting portion includes control means for controlling, based on a proper voltage of said one vehicle electrical device, an amount of power transmitted to said one vehicle electrical device which is mounted on said mounting portion.

27. A mounting structure as in claim 26, wherein:

said control means receives an identification signal from said one vehicle electrical device; and

said control means controls the amount of power transmitted to said one vehicle electrical device based on said identification signal.

28. A mounting structure as in claim 27, wherein said control means suppresses transmission of power to said one vehicle electrical device when said identification signal is not received from said one vehicle electrical device.

29. A mounting structure as in claim 27, wherein said identification signal is transmitted from said one vehicle electrical device to said control means via said power receiving terminal and said power sending terminal.

30. A mounting structure as in claim 27, wherein:

said mounting portion includes an input terminal other than said power sending terminal for receiving said identification signal;

said one vehicle electrical device includes an output terminal other than said power receiving terminal for transmitting said identification signal; and

said output terminal transmits said identification signal to said input terminal touching said input terminal.

31. A mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein said mounting portion includes a catching member which is engagable with said one vehicle electrical device and movable so as to be disengagable from said one vehicle electrical device.

32. A mounting structure as in claim 31 further comprising a release switch which outputs a release signal when a user operates said release switch for disengaging said catching member from said one vehicle electrical device, wherein said catching member is moved so as to disengage from said one vehicle electrical device in response to said release signal.

33. A mounting structure as in claim 31, wherein said catching member is disengaged from said one vehicle electrical device only if a predetermined criterion is satisfied, so that said one vehicle electrical device is protected against theft.

34. A mounting structure as in claim 31, wherein disengagement of said catching member from said one vehicle electrical device is suppressed based on at least one of an operating state of an antitheft device installed on the vehicle and a status of power supply to the vehicle.

35. A mounting structure as in claim 31, wherein:

said one vehicle electrical device includes a catching member;

said interior member includes an engaging portion which engages with said catching member of said one vehicle electrical device; and

said catching member is movable so as to be disengagable from said engaging portion.

36. A mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein:

said interior member includes a designed cover which covers said mounting portion and forms a part of a designed surface of said interior member;

said designed cover is movable between an open position and a closed position; and

said mounting portion is open when said designed cover is in the open position and closed when said designed cover is in the closed position.

37. A mounting structure as in claim 36, wherein:

said mounting portion is a cavity formed on the designed surface of said interior member;

a user mounts said one vehicle electrical device on said mounting portion by partially inserting said one vehicle electrical device into said cavity; and

said designed cover moves in a longitudinal direction of said cavity keeping its surface perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said cavity so that said mounting portion is open, when the user presses said one vehicle electrical device against said designed cover for mounting said one vehicle electrical device on said mounting portion.

38. A mounting structure as in claim 36, wherein:

said designed cover includes a pivot pivotably supported by said interior member; and

said designed cover moves between the open position and the closed position by pivoting said pivot.

39. A mounting structure as in claim 36, wherein:

said designed cover further covers said one vehicle electrical device; and

when said designed cover is in the closed position, movement of said designed cover is suppressed based on at least one of an operating state of an antitheft device installed on the vehicle and a status of power supply to the vehicle.

40. A mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein said one vehicle electrical device is mounted on said mounting portion facing in an arbitrary direction with reference to a predetermined axis.

41. A mounting structure as in claim 1, wherein said mounting portion and said one vehicle electrical device mounted on said mounting portion are pivotable as one on a predetermined axis.

42. A mounting structure as in claim 40, wherein said predetermined axis extends in a vertical direction.

43. A mounting structure as in claim 41, wherein said predetermined axis extends in a vertical direction.

44. A mounting structure comprising:

an electrical device; and

a mounting portion on which said electrical device is mounted, said mounting portion being disposed on an interior member in a vehicle compartment and including communication means for transmitting an electrical signal received from a vehicle to said electrical device, wherein;

said electrical signal is a multiplex signal which includes a plurality of control signals, each control signal of said plurality of control signals controlling a respective one of a plurality of vehicle electrical devices;

said communication means is connected to a signal converter to which wiring for transferring a second electrical signal other than said first electrical signal from said vehicle is connected;

said signal converter extracts said plurality of control signals from said second electrical signals and multiplexes said extracted plurality of control signals into said first electrical signal; and

said communication means receives said first electrical signal from said signal converter.

45. A mounting structure for at least one vehicle electrical device comprising:

a mounting portion on which the electrical device is mounted, said mounting portion being disposed on an interior member in a vehicle compartment and including communication means for transmitting a first electrical signal received from a vehicle to said one vehicle electrical device, wherein;

said mounting portion includes non-contact type power transmission means which transmits power from a battery of the vehicle to said vehicle electrical device without touching said vehicle electrical device, and

wherein said power transmission means includes a primary coil and a secondary coil with a spacing therebetween of less than 3 mm.

46. A mounting structure as in claim 45, wherein:

said mounting portion is a cavity formed on a designed surface of said interior member;

said one vehicle electrical device is mountable on said mounting portion by partially inserting said one vehicle electrical device into said cavity; and

said primary coil is covered with a fabric fastener tape disposed on said mounting portion so that said primary coil is not exposed to said vehicle compartment.

47. A mounting structure as in claim 46, wherein:

said one vehicle electrical device has a circular convex shape facing said mounting portion; and

an annular resinous fastener tape is disposed around said secondary coil disposed an underside of said convex shape.

48. A mounting structure as in claim 45, wherein:

said communication means is connected to a signal converter to which wiring for transferring a second electrical signal other than said first electrical signal from said vehicle is connected;

said signal converter extracts said plurality of control signals from said second electrical signals and multiplexes said extracted plurality of control signals into said first electrical signal; and

said communication means receives said first electrical signal from said signal converter.

49. A mounting structure as in claim 48, wherein said mounting portion is one of a plurality of mounting portions each of which is disposed on said interior member and includes communication means for transmitting said first electrical signal to an electrical device mounted thereon.

50. A mounting structure as in claim 49, wherein said signal converter is a single signal converter which alone transmits said first electrical signal to said communication means of said plurality of mounting portions.

51. A mounting structure as in claim 49, wherein said communication means of each of said plurality of mounting portions performs two-way communication with an electrical device mounted thereon.

52. A mounting structure as in claim 45, wherein:

said mounting portion includes control means for controlling, based on a proper voltage of said one vehicle electrical device, an amount of power transmitted to said one vehicle electrical device which is mounted on said mounting portion;

said control means receives an identification signal from said one vehicle electrical device and controls the amount of power transmitted to said one vehicle electrical device based on said identification signal; and

said control means suppresses transmission of power to said one vehicle electrical device when said identification signal is not received from said one vehicle electrical device.

53. A mounting structure as in claim 45, wherein:

said interior member includes a designed cover which covers said mounting portion and forms a part of a designed surface of said interior member;

said designed cover is movable between an open position and a closed position;

said mounting portion is open when said designed cover is in the open position and closed when said designed cover is in the closed position; and

said designed cover further covers said one vehicle electrical device.

54. A mounting structure as in claim 53, wherein:

when said designed cover is in the closed position, movement of said designed cover is suppressed based on at least one of an operating state of an antitheft device installed on the vehicle and a status of power supply to the vehicle.

55. A mounting structure as in claim 54, wherein:

an alarm is sounded if said designed cover is opened under a condition that a predetermined condition is not satisfied.

56. A mounting structure for at least one vehicle electrical device comprising:

a mounting portion on which the electrical device is mounted, said mounting portion being disposed on an interior member in a vehicle compartment and including communication means for transmitting a first electrical signal received from a vehicle to said one vehicle electrical device, wherein;

said first electrical signal is a multiplex signal which includes a plurality of control signals, each signal of said plurality of signals controlling a respective one of a plurality of vehicle electrical devices;

said mounting portion includes a power sending terminal which transmits power from a battery of the vehicle to a power receiving terminal included in said one vehicle electrical device touching said power receiving terminal;

said mounting portion is a cavity formed on a designed surface of said interior member;

a user mounts said one vehicle electrical device on said mounting portion by partially inserting said one vehicle electrical device into said cavity; and

said power receiving terminal is annularly formed on said one vehicle electrical device around an axis which extends in a longitudinal direction of said cavity.

57. A mounting structure for at least one vehicle electrical device comprising:

a mounting portion on which the electrical device is mounted, said mounting portion being disposed on an interior member in a vehicle compartment and including communication means for transmitting a first electrical signal received from a vehicle to said one vehicle electrical device, wherein;

said first electrical signal is a multiplex signal which includes a plurality of control signals, each signal of said plurality of signals controlling a respective one of a plurality of vehicle electrical devices;

said mounting portion includes a power sending terminal which transmits power from a battery of the vehicle to a power receiving terminal included in said one vehicle electrical device touching said power receiving terminal;

said mounting portion includes a link member;

said electrical device actuates said link member by pressing said link member when said one vehicle electrical device is mounted on said mounting portion; and

said power sending terminal touches said power receiving terminal after said link member is actuated.

58. A mounting structure for at least one vehicle electrical device comprising:

a mounting portion on which the electrical device is mounted, said mounting portion being disposed on an interior member in a vehicle compartment and including communication means for transmitting a first electrical signal received from a vehicle to said one vehicle electrical device, wherein;

said first electrical signal is a multiplex signal which includes a plurality of control signals, each signal of said plurality of signals controlling a respective one of a plurality of vehicle electrical devices;

said mounting portion includes a power sending terminal which transmits power from a battery of the vehicle to a power receiving terminal included in said one vehicle electrical device touching said power receiving terminal;

said one vehicle electrical device has a casing from which a convex portion protrudes and said convex portion includes said power receiving terminal;

said mounting portion includes a concave portion which has a shape complementary to a shape of said convex portion and said concave portion includes said power sending terminal;

said power receiving terminal is properly connected to said power sending terminal as a result of inserting said convex portion into said concave portion; and

said mounting portion includes a guide adjacent to said concave portion for guiding said convex portion into said concave portion.

59. A mounting structure for at least one vehicle electrical device comprising:

a mounting portion on which the electrical device is mounted, said mounting portion being disposed on an interior member in a vehicle compartment and including communication means for transmitting a first electrical signal received from a vehicle to said one vehicle electrical device, wherein;

said first electrical signal is a multiplex signal which includes a plurality of control signals, each signal of said plurality of signals controlling a respective one of a plurality of vehicle electrical devices;

said mounting portion includes a power sending terminal which transmits power from a battery of the vehicle to a power receiving terminal included in said one vehicle electrical device touching said power receiving terminal;

said mounting portion includes control means for controlling, based on a proper voltage of said one vehicle electrical device, an amount of power transmitted to said one vehicle electrical device which is mounted on said mounting portion;

said control means receives an identification signal from said one vehicle electrical device;

said control means controls the amount of power transmitted to said one vehicle electrical device based on said identification signal;

said mounting portion includes an input terminal other than said power sending terminal for receiving said identification signal;

said one vehicle electrical device includes an output terminal other than said power receiving terminal for transmitting said identification signal; and

said output terminal transmits said identification signal to said input terminal touching said input terminal.

60. A mounting structure for at least one vehicle electrical device comprising:

a mounting portion on which the electrical device is mounted, said mounting portion being disposed on an interior member in a vehicle compartment and including communication means for transmitting a first electrical signal received from a vehicle to said one vehicle electrical device, wherein;

said first electrical signal is a multiplex signal which includes a plurality of control signals, each signal of said plurality of signals controlling a respective one of a plurality of vehicle electrical devices;

said mounting portion includes a catching member which is engagable with said one vehicle electrical device and movable so as to be disengagable from said one vehicle electrical device; and

said mounting structure further comprising a release switch which outputs a release signal when a user operates said release switch for disengaging said catching member from said one vehicle electrical device, wherein said catching member is moved so as to disengage from said one vehicle electrical device in response to said release signal.

61. A mounting structure for at least one vehicle electrical device comprising:

a mounting portion on which the electrical device is mounted, said mounting portion being disposed on an interior member in a vehicle compartment and including communication means for transmitting a first electrical signal received from a vehicle to said one vehicle electrical device, wherein;

said first electrical signal is a multiplex signal which includes a plurality of control signals, each signal of said plurality of signals controlling a respective one of a plurality of vehicle electrical devices;

said interior member includes a designed cover which covers said mounting portion and forms a part of a designed surface of said interior member;

said designed cover is movable between an open position and a closed position;

said mounting portion is open when said designed cover is in the open position and closed when said designed cover is in the closed position;

said mounting portion is a cavity formed on the designed surface of said interior member;

a user mounts said one vehicle electrical device on said mounting portion by partially inserting said one vehicle electrical device into said cavity; and

said designed cover moves in a longitudinal direction of said cavity keeping its surface perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said cavity so that said mounting portion is open, when the user presses said one vehicle electrical device against said designed cover for mounting said one vehicle electrical device on said mounting portion.