Radar detector for a motorcycle

• US 7,271,760 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group Incorporated (Harley-Davidson Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Escort Incorporated (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.), Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group Incorporated (Harley-Davidson Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cobb, Nelson J., Richlen, Jeffrey E., Bartosik, Daniel J., Coomer, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barker; Matthew M
• Application Number:
  US10/891,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20060012509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 342/20, 180/9.25, 180/222, 180/223
• US Class Current: 342/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/022 Road traffic radar detectors

Abstract

A radar detector for a motorcycle having an electrical power supply and a receiver housing. The radar detector includes a housing adapted to attach to the receiver housing. The housing is divided into a right-hand side and a left-hand side. A plurality of user controls is disposed within the housing. A majority of the controls are disposed on the left-hand side of the housing.

Claims

1. A radar detector for a motorcycle having an electrical power supply and a receiver housing and defining a longitudinal axis, the radar detector comprising:

a housing defining a center plane along which the housing is adapted to attach to the receiver housing; and

a display panel defining a portion of the housing, the display panel disposed at a first angle relative to a plane orthogonal to the center plane and disposed at a second angle relative to the plane orthogonal to the center plane, the first angle orienting the display panel toward the longitudinal axis, the second angle orienting the display panel in an upward direction, wherein the first and second angles are fixed.

2. The radar detector of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a button disposed within the housing, the button being illuminated.

3. The radar detector of claim 2, wherein the illumination switches on and off in response to the detection of a signal.

4. The radar detector of claim 1, wherein the first angle is between about 5 and 15 degrees.

5. The radar detector of claim 1, wherein the second angle is between about 5 and 15 degrees.

6. The radar detector of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of user controls disposed within the housing, a majority of the controls disposed on a left-hand side of the housing.

7. The radar detector of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a key receiver adapted to couple to a key of the receiver housing, and wherein the key is adapted to slide substantially horizontally into an end of the housing to engage the key receiver to allow attachment between the housing and the receiver housing.

8. A radar detector for a motorcycle having an electrical power supply and a receiver housing and defining a longitudinal axis, the radar detector comprising:

a housing adapted to attach to the receiver housing; and

a display panel defining a portion of the housing, the display panel disposed at a first angle relative to a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and disposed at a second angle relative to the plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the first angle orienting the display panel toward the longitudinal axis, the second angle orienting the display panel in an upward direction, wherein the first and second angles are fixed,

wherein the housing includes opposed lateral flanges disposed on the bottom of the radar detector, the lateral flanges configured to be slidably received in the longitudinal direction within two parallel slots of the receiver housing.

9. The radar detector of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of connectors coupled to the housing and disposed between the lateral flanges, wherein one of the plurality of connectors is a power connector and a second of the plurality of connectors is a ground connector, the power connector and the ground connector defining a portion of a power supply circuit.

10. The radar detector of claim 9, wherein the plurality of connectors includes at least four connectors arranged in a line, and wherein at least one connector is disposed between the power connector and the ground connector.

11. The radar detector of claim 9, wherein the plurality of connectors includes at least one connector that is connected to a speaker.

12. The radar detector of claim 9, wherein the plurality of connectors includes at least eight connectors arranged in a row and the power connector is one of the first connector and the eighth connector and the ground connector is the other of the first connector and the eighth connector.

13. The radar detector of claim 8, wherein the housing includes a latch mechanism disposed between the lateral flanges, the latch mechanism including a lip configured to engage an aperture in the receiver housing to retain the housing within the receiver housing.

14. The radar detector of claim 13, wherein the housing includes a button disposed between the lateral flanges and operable to move the lip from a first position to a second position when the button is depressed, the lip configured to disengage from the aperture of the receiver housing when the button is depressed.

15. The radar detector of claim 8, wherein the housing includes a button disposed within the housing, the button being illuminated.

16. The radar detector of claim 8, wherein the illumination switches on and off in response to the detection of a signal.

17. The radar detector of claim 8, wherein the first angle is between about 5 and 15 degrees.

18. The radar detector of claim 8, wherein the second angle is between about 5 and 15 degrees.

19. The radar detector of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of user controls disposed within the housing, a majority of the controls disposed on a left-hand side of the housing.

20. The radar detector of claim 8, wherein the housing includes a key receiver adapted to couple to a key of the receiver housing, and wherein the key is adapted to slide substantially horizontally into an end of the housing to engage the key receiver to allow attachment between the housing and the receiver housing.

21. A radar detector for a motorcycle having an electrical power supply and a receiver housing and defining a longitudinal axis, the radar detector comprising:

a housing adapted to attach to the receiver housing;

a display panel defining a portion of the housing, and

a plurality of connectors coupled to the housing and disposed between the lateral flanges, wherein one of the plurality of connectors is a power connector and a second of the plurality of connectors is a ground connector, the power connector and the ground connector defining a portion of a power supply circuit,

wherein the housing includes opposed lateral flanges disposed on the bottom of the radar detector, the lateral flanges configured to be slidably received in the direction of the longitudinal axis within two parallel slots of the receiver housing.

22. The radar detector of claim 21, wherein the housing includes a button disposed within the housing, the button being illuminated.

23. The radar detector of claim 21, wherein the illumination switches on and off in response to the detection of a signal.

24. The radar detector of claim 21, wherein the plurality of connectors includes at least four connectors arranged in a line, and wherein at least one connector is disposed between the power connector and the ground connector.

25. The radar detector of claim 21, wherein the plurality of connectors includes at least one connector that is connected to a speaker.

26. The radar detector of claim 21, wherein the plurality of connectors includes at least eight connectors arranged in a row and the power connector is one of the first connector and the eighth connector and the ground connector is the other of the first connector and the eighth connector.

27. The radar detector of claim 21, further comprising a plurality of user controls disposed within the housing, a majority of the controls disposed on a left-hand side of the housing.

28. The radar detector of claim 21, wherein the housing includes a latch mechanism disposed between the lateral flanges, the latch mechanism including a lip configured to engage an aperture in the receiver housing to retain the housing within the receiver housing.

29. The radar detector of claim 28, wherein the housing includes a button disposed between the lateral flanges and operable to move the lip from a first position to a second position when the button is depressed, the lip configured to disengage from the aperture of the receiver housing when the button is depressed.

30. The radar detector of claim 21, wherein the housing includes a key receiver adapted to couple to a key of the receiver housing, and wherein the key is adapted to slide substantially horizontally into an end of the housing to engage the key receiver to allow attachment between the housing and the receiver housing.

31. A radar detector for a motorcycle having an electrical power supply and a receiver housing and defining a longitudinal axis, the radar detector comprising:

a housing adapted to attach to the receiver housing; and

a display panel defining a portion of the housing,

wherein the housing includes opposed lateral flanges disposed on the bottom of the radar detector, the lateral flanges configured to be slidably received in the direction of the longitudinal axis within two parallel slots of the receiver housing,

wherein the housing includes a latch mechanism disposed between the lateral flanges, the latch mechanism including a lip configured to engage an aperture in the receiver housing to retain the housing within the receiver housing.

32. A radar detector for a motorcycle having an electrical power supply and a receiver housing and defining a longitudinal axis, the radar detector comprising:

a housing adapted to attach to the receiver housing; and

a display panel defining a portion of the housing,

wherein the housing includes opposed lateral flanges disposed on the bottom of the radar detector, the lateral flanges configured to be slidably received in the direction of the longitudinal axis within two parallel slots of the receiver housing; and

wherein the housing includes a key receiver adapted to couple to a key of the receiver housing, and wherein the key is adapted to slide substantially horizontally into an end of the housing to engage the key receiver to allow attachment between the housing and the receiver housing.