Automated arrangement of a mobile apparatus in equipment

• US 9,270,318 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2013
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rassent, Maxime, Vayer, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US14/406,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20150222313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/90.3, 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/575.9, 361/679.02, 361/679.55, 361/679.56
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0005 Dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0007 Mid-console
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0014 Arm-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0045 with visible part, e.g. flush mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters

Abstract

An arrangement for mounting of a mobile apparatus in equipment provided with a first movable support displaceable along a main axis, the first movable support being able to receive the mobile apparatus for it to be arranged in a location in which it is held in position by a holding device. The holding device is itself displaceable along a longitudinal axis between a retracted position in which the mobile apparatus can be placed in or removed from the location and an extended position in which the mobile apparatus is held in position in the housing. The equipment is in addition provided with a mechanical transmission means arranged between the movable support and the holding device so that the displacements of the mobile apparatus drives those of the holding device.

Claims

1. An arrangement for mounting a mobile apparatus in equipment having a decorative fascia in a motor vehicle, the decorative fascia being provided with an opening giving access to a housing able to receive the mobile apparatus, said arrangement comprising:

a base fixed to a bottom of a housing;

a movable support displaceable relative to the base between a depressed position in which the movable support is close to the base and an empty position in which the movable support is distant from the base, the movable support having a main wall configured to receive the mobile apparatus; and

a retaining device which holds the movable support in one of the depressed position and the empty position, wherein when the movable support is in the depressed position a front face of the mobile apparatus appears through the opening and is in surface continuity with the decorative fascia of the equipment and, when the movable support is in the empty position the main wall of the movable support appears through the opening and is in surface continuity with the decorative fascia of the equipment; and

an elastic means arranged between the movable support and the base, the elastic means configured to bias the movable support towards the empty position.

2. The arrangement described in claim 1, wherein the movable support comprises a generic support independent of a model of mobile apparatus, and an interchangeable thickness adapter specific to the model of mobile apparatus, the thickness adapter being arranged on the generic support, a thickness of the thickness adapter being selected depending on a thickness of the mobile apparatus so that when the movable support is in the depressed position the front face of the mobile apparatus of the model is in surface continuity with the decorative fascia.

3. The arrangement described in claim 1, said arrangement further comprising in addition an interchangeable peripheral adapter specific to the model of mobile apparatus, the peripheral adapter being arranged and fixed in the opening of the housing and provided with an opening specific to dimensions of the model of mobile apparatus, so that, the mobile apparatus being placed in position its front face entirely obturates the opening while being in surface continuity with the decorative fascia of the equipment.

4. The arrangement described in claim 1, wherein the retaining device comprises a cam and a finger, the cam being attached to one of the movable support and the base, and the finger being attached to one of the base and the movable support respectively, the cam and the finger cooperating so that in a determined relative position of the cam and of the finger the movable support is retained in the depressed position.

5. The arrangement described in claim 1, wherein the retaining device comprises a stop attached to the movable support which cooperates with a pressing surface attached to the decorative fascia so as to retain the movable support in the empty position.

6. The arrangement described in claim 1, wherein the main wall of the movable support includes a detachable and interchangeable decorative cover.

7. The arrangement described in claim 1, wherein the arrangement further comprises a device for holding in position the mobile apparatus in the location.

8. The arrangement described in claim 7 in which the device comprises a plate displaceable between an open position in which the mobile apparatus can be placed in or removed from the location and, a closed position in which the mobile apparatus is held in position in the location.

9. The arrangement described in claim 8 in which the holding device is provided with an elastic means which, when in the closed position of the plate, applies a force to the mobile apparatus so that the mobile apparatus is held in position.

10. The arrangement described in claim 9 in which the holding device comprises in addition a second elastic means arranged on the plate so that, in the closed position of the plate the elastic means applies to the mobile apparatus concurrent forces applied at corners of the mobile apparatus so as to adjust the position of the mobile apparatus in the location.

11. The arrangement described in claim 8 further comprising a cam track against which is permanently biased a cam follower, the cam track, the follower reciprocally, being attached to the plate while the follower, the track reciprocally, is attached to the equipment, the follower travelling along the cam track between a first position reached when the plate is in the open position and a second position reached when the plate is in the closed position, the cam track being provided with at least one positioning notch in which the follower is engaged in the closed position of the plate so as to stabilize the closed position.

12. The arrangement described in claim 8 further comprising a grasping means attached to the plate so that a user can manually displace the plate between the open position and the closed position.

13. The arrangement described in claim 7 further comprising an electrical connector suited to the mobile apparatus so that the mobile apparatus can be electrically recharged and be connected to an electronic network comprising other electronic devices.

14. The arrangement described in claim 13 in which the connector is arranged on the plate so that, in the open position the connector is distant from the mobile apparatus and, in the closed position the connector is moved towards and complementarily connected to the mobile apparatus.

15. The arrangement described in claim 7 further comprising an automatic means, one of motorized and magnetic, for displacement of the holding device.

16. The arrangement described in claim 15 comprising an electrical actuator controlling the displacements of the holding device and of the connector.

17. The arrangement described in claim 16 in which the displacements of the maintaining device and of the connector are controlled by the same actuator which is an electric motor provided with transmission means connecting the electric motor, the holding device and the connector so that the holding device and the connector are driven in a coordinated manner and that therefore in the retracted position of the holding device the connector is disconnected and, in the extended position the connector is connected.

18. The arrangement described in claim 17 comprising in addition a control means of the actuator so arranged that it is powered when the movable support is in the depressed position.

19. The arrangement described in claim 18 in which the control means comprises a sensor of the position of the movable support.

20. The arrangement described in claim 19 in which the position sensor is an electrical contactor arranged at the bottom of the housing and actuated by the movable support when this arrives in the depressed position.

21. The arrangement described in claim 16, wherein the control means comprises in addition a detector of the presence of the mobile apparatus on the movable support so that, in the empty position of the movable support, the presence of a mobile apparatus causes the automatic displacement of the movable support towards the depressed position.

22. The arrangement described in claim 7 further comprising a mechanical transmission means comprising a second movable support movable in translation along the main axis arranged cooperating with the first movable support, this second movable support being provided with a location in which the holding device is arranged slidingly along the longitudinal axis.

23. The arrangement described in claim 22 in which the mechanical transmission means comprises in addition a rod-crank system transmitting and transforming the displacements along the main axis of the second movable support into longitudinal displacements of the holding device.

24. A kit for the installation of a mobile apparatus of a particular model in equipment provided with a decorative fascia and with an arrangement formed in accordance with claim 1, the kit comprising:

a thickness adapter being able to fit onto the movable support, the thickness adapter having the dimensions specifically adapted to the model of mobile apparatus,

a peripheral adapter being able to be arranged and fixed in the opening of the housing and itself being provided with an opening specific to the dimensions of the model of mobile apparatus, so that

a mobile apparatus of the model being placed in position, its front face entirely obturates the specific opening while being in surface continuity with the decorative fascia.