Method and apparatus for motorized control of an automobile radio cover
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for automated control of a radio cover assembly present in an automobile, comprising:
- (a) a Printed Circuit Board assembly which is mounted to a radio cover of said radio cover assembly to provide mechanical support and a common point of attachment;
(b) a Servo Motor mounted to said Printed Circuit Board assembly for providing actuation motion;
(c) a Linkage System to couple said actuation motion from said Servo Motor to said radio cover; and
(d) a microcontroller to control said Servo Motor and operatively coupled to an override switch,wherein said apparatus contains said Servo Motor, said Linkage System, and said microcontroller, andwherein said microcontrolleroperates said Servo Motor to move said radio cover from an opened to a closed position and visa-versa in an automated manner by way of said Linkage System,ignores an ignition switch and opens said radio cover if said override switch is in a first position,ignores said ignition switch and closes said radio cover if said override switch is in a second position, andopens said radio cover upon detecting said ignition switch turned to an ON position, if said override switch is in a third position,closes said radio cover upon detecting said ignition switch turned to an OFF position if said override switch is in said third position, anddetermines when a user physically opens or closes said radio cover of said radio cover assembly, and if so,overrides control of said apparatus to permit said user to open and close said radio cover.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus which automates the radio cover assembly of the Scion tC automobile. The apparatus mounts to the radio cover frame and contains a motor, a linkage system, and a microcontroller. The radio cover can automatically move from an opened to closed position and visa-versa.
95 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An apparatus for automated control of a radio cover assembly present in an automobile, comprising:
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(a) a Printed Circuit Board assembly which is mounted to a radio cover of said radio cover assembly to provide mechanical support and a common point of attachment; (b) a Servo Motor mounted to said Printed Circuit Board assembly for providing actuation motion; (c) a Linkage System to couple said actuation motion from said Servo Motor to said radio cover; and (d) a microcontroller to control said Servo Motor and operatively coupled to an override switch, wherein said apparatus contains said Servo Motor, said Linkage System, and said microcontroller, and wherein said microcontroller operates said Servo Motor to move said radio cover from an opened to a closed position and visa-versa in an automated manner by way of said Linkage System, ignores an ignition switch and opens said radio cover if said override switch is in a first position, ignores said ignition switch and closes said radio cover if said override switch is in a second position, and opens said radio cover upon detecting said ignition switch turned to an ON position, if said override switch is in a third position, closes said radio cover upon detecting said ignition switch turned to an OFF position if said override switch is in said third position, and determines when a user physically opens or closes said radio cover of said radio cover assembly, and if so, overrides control of said apparatus to permit said user to open and close said radio cover.
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2. An apparatus for automated control of a radio cover assembly present in an automobile, comprising:
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a Printed Circuit Board Assembly; a Servo Motor mountable to said Printed Circuit Board Assembly to actuate a Servo Horn Linkage; said Servo Horn Linkage attachable to said Servo Motor to provide a point of attachment to a Linkage System; said Linkage System attachable to said Servo Horn Linkage to provide a point of attachment to a radio cover of said radio cover assembly; and a microcontroller operatively coupled to said Servo Motor to control operation of said Servo Horn Linkage to actuate a mechanical opening and closing of a radio cover of said radio cover assembly; and an override switch operatively coupled to said microcontroller to monitor an ignition switch and to direct said Servo Motor to open or close said radio cover irrespective of a state of said ignition switch, wherein said override switch comprises; a first state that directs said microcontroller to ignore said ignition switch and open said radio cover, a second state that directs said microcontroller to ignore said ignition switch and close said radio cover, and a third state that directs said microcontroller to open said radio cover when said ignition switch is in an ON position, and close said radio cover when said ignition switch is in an OFF position, wherein said microcontroller checks if said override switch is in said first state, and if so, ignores an ignition accessory signal, and sends said Servo Motor a signal to open said radio cover by moving said Linkage System. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for automated control of a radio cover assembly present in an automobile, comprising:
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a Printed Circuit Board Assembly; a Servo Motor mountable to said Printed Circuit Board Assembly to actuate a Servo Horn Linkage; said Servo Horn Linkage attachable to said Servo Motor to provide a point of attachment to a Linkage System; said Linkage System attachable to said Servo Horn Linkage to provide a point of attachment to a radio cover of said radio cover assembly; and a microcontroller operatively coupled to said Servo Motor to control operation of said Servo Horn Linkage to actuate a mechanical opening and closing of said radio cover of said radio cover assembly, wherein said microcontroller monitors both an ignition switch and an override switch and directs said Servo Motor to ignore said ignition switch and opens said radio cover if said override switch is in a first position, ignores said ignition switch and close said radio cover if said override switch is in a second position; and opens said radio cover upon detecting said ignition switch in an ON position and close said radio cover upon detecting said ignition switch in an OFF position if said override switch is in a third position. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification