Means of mounting a toll calculator in a motor vehicle

• US 7,084,784 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Weber, Robert, Bacic, Helmut, Hanke, Klaus D., Wangler, Josef, Kraus, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/871,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20050001740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 340/928, 340/916, 340/426.16, 340/815.4, 340/905, 340/438, 359/838, 359/876, 248/205.8, 248/206.5, 248/298.1, 248/309.4, 224/227, 108/45
• US Class Current: 340/928
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0252 for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0258 for navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0005 Dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0063 using adhesive means, e.g. hook and loop fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/06 Arrangements for road pricing or congestion charging of vehicles or vehicle users, e.g. automatic toll systems

Abstract

It is proposed to assign a mounting arm to a toll calculator which is embodied as a surface-mounted device and which is connected in an articulated fashion to the toll calculator and can be mounted on the windshield of the motor vehicle. The toll calculator itself then rests with a relatively small area on the dashboard of the motor vehicle with the intermediate connection of a preferably elastomer supporting element which is preferably coated with adhesive on two sides.

Claims

1. A means of mounting a toll calculator in a motor vehicle, the toll calculator being equipped at least with a display and being arranged on the dashboard of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle including a windshield, comprising:

a mounting arm which can pivot about an axis and which is assigned to the toll calculator in that a free end of the mounting arm is embodied in such a way that it can be mounted on the windshield, and in that the toll calculator is supported on the dashboard.

2. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 1, wherein the axis about which the mounting arm is designed to pivot runs approximately parallel to a display plane of the display.

3. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 1, wherein the toll calculator is supported with an area on the dashboard which is smaller than an area of normal projection of the toll calculator onto the dashboard.

4. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 1, wherein the toll calculator is supported on an essentially small surface on the dashboard.

5. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 1, further comprising a disk-shaped supporting element provided between a bottom part of a housing of the toll calculator and the dashboard.

6. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 1, wherein the supporting element is coated with adhesive on two sides.

7. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 1, wherein the supporting element is manufactured from an elastic material.

8. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 1, further comprising an elastomer foot arranged on a bottom part of the toll calculator.

9. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 1, further comprising a touch-and-close fastening means arranged between a bottom part of the toll calculator and the dashboard.

10. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 1, wherein the toll calculator is positioned on the dashboard such that an essentially center of gravity of the toll calculator is supported.

11. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 1, wherein the mounting arm is embodied in a bridge form, and in that a web are ranged to connect bearing limbs of a bridge-shaped mounting arm is equipped for mounting the toll calculator on the windshield of the vehicle.

12. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 11, wherein the web is pivotably connected to bearing limbs of the mounting arm.

13. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 11, wherein the web is embodied such that it can be mounted directly on the windshield of the vehicle by bonding.

14. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 11, wherein the web is embodied such that it can be introduced into rails which are mounted on the windshield of the vehicle, and can be connected to the rails.

15. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 11, wherein the web is embodied as a housing for a transceiver module which communicates with essentially fixed beacons through the windshield of the vehicle.

16. The means of mounting a toll calculator according to claim 11, wherein the bearing limbs are spaced so as to facilitate air flow therebetween.