Foldable peripheral equipment for telecommunication attached to a steering wheel of vehicles

• US 6,760,569 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2000
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: E-Lead Electronic Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: E Lead Electronic Company Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Tonny
• Primary Examiner(s): APPIAH, CHARLES NANA
• Application Number:
  US09/487,284
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 455/66, 455/550, 455/575, 455/569, 455/90, 455/99, 455/100, 379/446, 379/454, 379/455, 224/276, 224/497, D12/174, D12/175, D12/177, D08/382
• US Class Current: 455/90.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0264 for control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/001 Vehicle control means, e.g. steering-wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0059 using clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0063 using adhesive means, e.g. hook and loop fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0082 collapsible, e.g. for storing after use

Abstract

A peripheral equipment for telecommunication is foldable and attachable to a steering wheel of vehicles. More particularly, it is easily mounted onto a steering wheel and extendable for use and foldable for storage. Thus, it will not interfere with the normal operation of a steering wheel and block a driver'"'"'s visual sight of the gauges on a dashboard of a vehicle. Besides, it permits a driver to extend and fold at random a peripheral equipment for telecommunication, such as automatic fee collecting systems at fee collecting stations, dialing operators of cellular phones, incoming phone indicators and etc. during driving without moving his or her hands off a steering wheel or shifting the driver'"'"'s view from a moving course. Thereby, drivers can process telecommunication information and drive vehicles safely at the same time. Such a peripheral equipment is made up of an information box and a mount which permit a driver to extend and fold with readiness.

Claims

1. A foldable peripheral equipment for telecommunication use attached to a steering wheel of a vehicle, comprising an information box pivotally coupled to a mount, said mount including an adhesive coupling element for mounting to a selected position of a steering wheel, said information box being pivotally displaceable in a first direction relative to said mount for use and displaceable in a second opposing direction relative to said mount to a folded position for storage;

wherein said mount includes a bracket and a supporting plate having a first end pivotally coupled to said bracket, said supporting plate having a second end slidably coupled to said information box.

2. The foldable peripheral equipment for telecommunication use as claimed in claim 1, wherein said information box has an input face board including at least keys, an LCD, and a sound generator;

said information box having a receiving cavity at a bottom of said information box, which is slightly smaller than a lateral width of said supporting plate;

a rear portion of said receiving cavity being formed with a pair of parallel sloped tracks with which an axle defined at a top edge of said supporting plate is engaged so as to permit said supporting plate to be movable in said receiving cavity for a folding or an extending operation;

a pivot protrusion being disposed at each longitudinal side of said information box so as to permit said information box to be pivotally mounted to said bracket by respectively engaging said pivot protrusions within two recesses formed in vertical side walls of said bracket.

3. A foldable peripheral equipment for telecommunication use attached to a steering wheel of a vehicle, comprising an information box pivotally coupled to a mount, said mount including an adhesive coupling element for mounting to a selected position of a steering wheel, said information box being pivotally displaceable in a first direction relative to said mount for use and displaceable in a second opposing direction relative to said mount to a folded position for storage;

wherein said mount comprises;

an approximately U-shaped supporting plate having a hook element at one rear end;

two hanging members symmetrically attached to a side of said rear end of said supporting plate with said hook element sandwiched therebetween;

each said hanging member having a retaining recess defined in conformance to a vertical flange of said information box; and

above each retaining recess being disposed a hook extension;

said adhesive coupling element being coated with glue on two opposing sides thereof and being disposed adjacent to said hook element at said rear end of said supporting plate for attachment of supporting plate to a steering wheel.

4. A foldable peripheral equipment for telecommunication use attached to a steering wheel of a vehicle, comprising an information box pivotally coupled to a mount, said mount including an adhesive coupling element for mounting to a selected position of a steering wheel, said information box being pivotally displaceable in a first direction relative to said mount for use and displaceable in a second opposing direction relative to said mount to a folded position for storage;

wherein said mount comprises;

a bracket having two vertical side walls and a rear wall and two axle through holes disposed thereon;

a pair of protruded blocks disposed on an outer surface of said vertical rear wall;

each said protruded block having a vertical groove for retaining of a side of said attachment plate;

on a top edge of each said vertical side wall a recess is disposed for supporting a pivot protrusion disposed on each side of said information box;

between said two vertical side walls and at a foot of said vertical rear wall is disposed a pair of spaced cylindrical blocks and each said axle through hole is defined therein; and

an axle rod is led through said two axle through holes to pivotally retain said supporting plate in place so that said supporting plate can be pivoted around said axle rod;

a folding mechanism including said supporting plate and a torsion spring;

said supporting plate having an axle integrally disposed at an upper edge thereof;

said axle being slightly longer than an upper edge of said supporting plate;

said torsion spring being disposed between a pair of cylindrical blocks of said supporting plate and retained in place by said axle rod so as to permit said supporting plate to be retractably operated;

a securing mechanism including an attachment plate and an adhesive piece;

hook means being disposed at a top edge of said attachment plate for fixing said attachment plate to a steering wheel of a vehicle;

at each longitudinal edge of said attachment plate being disposed a side wing flange on which are disposed a plurality of spaced protrusions so as to permit said side wing flanges to be firmly engaged with a pair of two parallel vertical grooves defined on an external surface of said bracket embodiment;

said adhesive piece having two sides thereof coated with glue material so as to permit said adhesive piece to be alternatively secured to said attachment plate on one side and to a steering wheel on the other side;

or said adhesive piece being fixed to said rear wall of said bracket embodiment for attachment of said bracket embodiment to a steering wheel.

5. A foldable peripheral equipment for telecommunication use, comprising:

an information box in combination with a mount;

said mount including a bracket having two vertical side walls and a rear wall and two axle through holes disposed thereon;

a pair of protruded blocks disposed on an outer surface of said rear wall;

each said protruded block having a vertical groove for retaining a side of an attachment plate therein;

on a top edge of each said vertical side wall a recess is disposed for supporting a pivot protrusion disposed on each side of said information box so as to permit said information box to be pivotally mounted thereto;

between said two vertical side walls and at a foot of said vertical rear wall being disposed a pair of spaced cylindrical blocks and each said axle through-hole being defined therein; and

an axle rod is led through said two axle through-holes to pivotally retain a supporting plate in place so that said supporting plate can be pivoted around said axle rod;

a folding mechanism including said supporting plate and a torsion spring;

said supporting plate having an axle integrally disposed at an upper edge thereof;

said axle being slightly longer than an upper edge of said supporting plate;

said torsion spring being disposed between a pair of cylindrical blocks of said supporting plate and retained in place by said axle rod so as to permit said supporting plate to be retractably operated;

a securing mechanism including said attachment plate and an adhesive piece;

a hook means being disposed at a top edge of said attachment plate for fixing said attachment plate to a steering wheel of a vehicle;

at each longitudinal edge of said attachment plate being disposed a side wing flange on which are disposed a plurality of spaced protrusions so as to permit said side wing flanges to be firmly engaged with a pair of two parallel vertical grooves defined on an external surface of said bracket embodiment;

said adhesive piece having two sides thereof coated with glue material so as to permit said adhesive piece to be secured to said attachment plate on one side thereof and to a steering wheel on the other side of said adhesive piece;

said information box having an input face board including at least keys, an LCD, and a sound generator;

said information box having a receiving cavity at a bottom of said information box, which is slightly smaller than a lateral width of said supporting plate;

at a rear portion of said receiving cavity being defined a pair of parallel sloped tracks with which an axle defined at a top edge of said supporting plate is engaged so as to permit said supporting plate to be movable in said receiving cavity in a folding or an extending operation;

a pivot protrusion being disposed at each longitudinal side of said information box so as to permit said information box to be pivotally mounted to said bracket by engaging said pivot protrusions with said two recesses on vertical side walls of said bracket.

6. A foldable peripheral equipment for telecommunication use, comprising:

an information box in combination with a mount;

said mount including a bracket having two vertical side walls and a rear wall and two axle through holes disposed thereon;

a pair of protruded blocks disposed on an outer surface of said rear wall;

each said protruded block having a vertical groove for retaining a side of an attachment plate therein;

on a top edge of each said vertical side wall a recess is disposed for supporting a pivot protrusion disposed on each side of said information box so as to permit said information box to be pivotally mounted thereto;

between said two vertical side walls and at a foot of said vertical rear wall being disposed a pair of spaced cylindrical blocks and each said axle through-hole being defined therein; and

an axle rod is led through said two axle through-holes to pivotally retain a supporting plate in place so that said supporting plate can be pivoted around said axle rod;

a folding mechanism including said supporting plate and a torsion spring;

said supporting plate having an axle integrally disposed at an upper edge thereof;

said axle being slightly longer than an upper edge of said supporting plate;

said torsion spring being disposed between a pair of cylindrical blocks of said supporting plate and retained in place by said axle rod so as to permit said supporting plate to be retractably operated;

an adhesive piece having two sides thereof coated with a glue material, said adhesive piece being secured to said rear wall of said bracket on one side thereof and to a steering wheel on the other side of said adhesive piece;

said information box having an input face board including at least keys, an LCD, and a sound generator;

said information box having a receiving cavity at a bottom of said information box, which is slightly smaller than a lateral width of said supporting plate;

at a rear portion of said receiving cavity being defined a pair of parallel sloped tracks with which an axle defined at a top edge of said supporting plate is engaged so as to permit said supporting plate to be movable in said receiving cavity for a folding or an extending operation;

a pivot protrusion being disposed at each longitudinal side of said information box so as to permit said information box to be pivotally mounted to said bracket by engaging said pivot protrusions with said two recesses on vertical side walls of said bracket.