Retaining device for mobile user devices

• US 7,747,009 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2004
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Audioton Kabelwerk GmbH Zweigniederiassung Scheinfeld
• Original Assignee: Audioton Kabelwerk GmbH
• Inventors: Cullman, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Tuan D
• Application Number:
  US10/546,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20070228095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,318 Days
• Field of Search: 379/446, 379/447, 379/454, 379/455, 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/575.1, 455/575.9
• US Class Current: 379/446
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0252 for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0071 using latches, clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0073 using key-type connections

Abstract

The invention relates to a retaining device for the purpose of mechanically and electrically connecting a mobile user device, in particular a mobile radio telephone or a PDA, to a vehicle.

Claims

1. A retaining device for the purpose of mechanically and electrically connecting a mobile user device, in particular a mobile radio telephone or a PDA, to a vehicle, the retaining device comprising:

a base part for the purpose of permanently fixing it in the vehicle; and

a retaining part for the purpose of accommodating the mobile user device,

wherein the base part has at least one rigid first hook element and at least one resilient second hook element which are arranged at a distance from one another protruding upward on the upper side of the base part facing the retaining part, and the base part has an electrical connection element for the purpose of electrically connecting the base part to the retaining part, said electrical connection element being arranged on the upper side of the base part facing the retaining part between the at least one rigid first hook element and the at least one resilient second hook element, and the underside of the retaining part facing the base part has at least one first cutout for the purpose of latching with a first hook element and at least one second cutout, which is arranged at a distance from said first cutout, for the purpose of latching with a second hook element, and the retaining part has an electrical connection element for the purpose of electrically connecting the retaining part to the base part, said electrical connection element being arranged on the underside of the retaining part facing the base part between the at least one first cutout and the at least one second cutout, and the base part has at least one third resilient hook element which is arranged between the first hook element and the electrical connection element, and the retaining part has at least one third cutout which is arranged between the first cutout and the electrical connection element.

2. The retaining device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical connection elements have two or more electrically conductive contact elements arranged in one or more rows, the contact elements of the connection element of the base part and the contact elements of the connection element of the retaining part being in touching contact such that they are aligned with one another at their mutually facing ends when the base part and the retaining part are latched.

3. The retaining device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the electrical connection element has two or more electrically conductive contact elements in an arrangement with three rows.

4. The retaining device according to claim 2, wherein the electrical connection element of the base part has two or more electrically conductive contact elements which form contact faces with their end faces, and in that the electrical connection element of the retaining part has two or more electrically conductive contact elements which are in the form of contact pins.

5. The retaining device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the contact elements of the connection element of the retaining part are mounted in a resilient manner.

6. The retaining device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base part and the retaining part have one or more centering elements or associated centering cutouts.

7. The retaining device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical connection elements are used for transmitting RF and AF signals.

8. The retaining device as claimed in claim 1, wherein two or more adjacent contact elements transmit RF signals, and one or more of the remaining contact elements transmit AF signals or are used for power supply purposes.

9. A base part of a retaining device for the purpose of mechanically and electrically connecting a mobile user device, in particular a mobile radio telephone or a PDA, to a vehicle, comprising:

the base part (1) being provided for the purpose of permanently fixing it in the vehicle; and

the retaining part being provided for the purpose of accommodating the mobile user device, wherein the base part has at least one rigid first hook element and at least one resilient second hook element which are arranged at a distance from one another protruding upward on the upper side of the base part facing the retaining part, and the base part has an electrical connection element for the purpose of electrically connecting the base part to the retaining part, said electrical connection element being arranged on the upper side of the base part facing the retaining part between the at least one rigid first hook element and the at least one resilient second hook element, and the base part has at least one third resilient hook element which is arranged between the first hook element and the electrical connection element.

10. The base part as claimed in claim 9, wherein the base part has a centrally arranged first hook element and two second hook elements which are arranged at a distance from one another.

11. The base part as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one second hook element is mounted in a resilient manner such that it can move in the longitudinal direction of the base part, and the hooks of the first hook element and the hooks of the second hook element are oriented in opposition.

12. The base part as claimed in claim 9, wherein the base part comprises at least one third hook element that is mounted in a resilient manner such that it can move transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the base part.

13. The base part as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one third hook element is mounted in a resilient manner such that it can move and such that it is offset through 90°

with respect to the second hook element.

14. The base part as claimed in claim 9, wherein the base part has at least one second hook element which is mounted in a resilient manner such that it can move in the longitudinal direction of the base part and two third hook elements which are mounted in a resilient manner such that they can move in opposition transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the base part.

15. The base part as claimed in claims 9, wherein the base part has two second hook elements which are arranged in the immediate vicinity of the corners of the electrical connection element.

16. The base part as claimed in claim 9, wherein the base part has a slide element which is mounted in a resilient manner, can move in the longitudinal direction of the base part and is connected to the at least one second hook element, and the base part has at least one actuating element which can move transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the base part and is mounted in a resilient manner, the slide element and the actuating element having beveled faces which are in touching contact with one another such that a transverse movement of the at least one actuating element is converted into a longitudinal movement of the slide element.

17. The base part as claimed in claim 16, wherein a third hook element is connected to the at least one actuating element.

18. The base part as claimed in claim 16, wherein the base part has two third hook elements and two actuating elements arranged in opposition, one third hook element being connected to one actuating element, and the other third hook element being connected to the other actuating element, and in this case the hooks of the two hook elements being oriented in opposition.

19. The base part as claimed in claim 16, wherein the base part has a first spring which exerts a force, in the direction of the first, fixed hook element, on the slide element, and the base part has a second spring which exerts a force, in the direction of the outside of the base part, on the at least one actuating element.

20. A retaining part of a retaining device for the purpose of mechanically and electrically connecting a mobile user device, in particular a mobile radio telephone or a PDA, to a vehicle, comprising:

the base part being provided for the purpose of permanently fixing it in the vehicle, and

the retaining part being provided for the purpose of accommodating the mobile user device,

wherein the underside of the retaining part facing the base part has at least one first cutout for the purpose of latching with a first hook element of the base part and at least one second cutout, which is arranged at a distance from said first cutout, for the purpose of latching with a second hook element of the base part, and the retaining part has an electrical connection element for the purpose of electrically connecting the retaining part to the base part, said electrical connection element being arranged on the underside of the retaining part facing the base part between the at least one first cutout and the at least one second cutout, and the at least one second cutout, and the retaining part has at least one third cutout which is arranged between the first cutout and the electrical connection element.

21. The retaining part as claimed in claim 20, wherein the retaining part has two second cutouts which are arranged in the immediate vicinity of the corners of the electrical connection element.

22. The retaining part as claimed in claim 20, wherein the retaining part has two third cutouts which are arranged opposite one another in the immediate vicinity of the longitudinal edges of the retaining part.