Combined storage and docking unit for a portable electronic device

• US 9,511,720 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Harding, John K., Fleming, Steve David
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutman, H
• Application Number:
  US14/727,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20150258943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.12, 296/37.8, 296/24.3, 296/24.34
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0258 for navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0005 Dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0094 characterised by means for covering after user, e.g. boxes, shutters or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/06 mounted on or below dashboards

Abstract

A combined storage and docking unit for attachment to the instrument panel of a motor vehicle is disclosed in which a portable electronic device such as an MP3 player or GPS navigation device can be held in a display position by clamping it between lid and storage box parts of the combined storage and docking unit. The storage box includes a trough shaped portion in which the portable electronic device can be stowed if it is not required to be used. The storage box also includes a lid hingedly connected thereto. A lid opening mechanism includes an arm fixed to a shaft. A drive cable is connected to the arm and to a spring on opposing ends. A pulley is configured to guide the drive cable from the arm to the spring, wherein the shaft is rotatably supported by a shaft bracket.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device docking unit comprising:

a vehicular storage box having a lid hingedly connected thereto;

a depending arm coupled to a cross shaft and engageable with a locking rod, wherein the locking rod is biased by a spring to maintain the lid in a plurality of positions as opposing ends of the spring act against a first flange on the locking rod and a second flange on the storage box to hold an electronic device between the lid and storage box; and

a button disposed proximately to an opposing side of the box from the cross shaft and configured to operate a link rod connected to a bell crank that is pivotally connected to the storage box via a bracket.

2. The portable electronic device docking unit of claim 1, wherein the bell crank is further pivotally connected to one end of the locking rod.

3. The portable electronic device docking unit of claim 1, wherein the bell crank is configured to pull the locking rod away from the depending arm when the button is depressed so as to allow the lid to move freely.

4. The portable electronic device docking unit of claim 3, wherein the spring urges the locking rod into engagement with a plurality of recesses on the depending arm to lock the lid in a desired position when the button is released.

5. The portable electronic device docking unit of claim 1, wherein the storage box includes an aperture and the lid is connected to the storage box by the depending arm that is fixedly attached to the lid, the depending arm extending through the aperture and below a floor of the storage box.

6. An electronic device docking unit comprising:

a vehicular storage box defining a first aperture;

a lid hingedly connected to the storage box having a first depending arm extending through the first aperture;

a spring extending in a substantially parallel direction to a bottom surface of the box and configured to bias the lid towards an open position; and

a rack and pin mechanism configured to maintain an electronic device between the lid and the box.

7. The portable electronic device docking unit of claim 6, wherein the storage box includes the first aperture and a second aperture and the lid includes the first depending arm and a second depending arm fixedly attached to the lid with the first and second depending arms extending through the first and second apertures, respectively, and below a floor of the storage box.

8. The portable electronic device docking unit of claim 6, wherein the first depending arm has a plurality of teeth formed around a portion of its periphery.

9. The portable electronic device docking unit of claim 8, wherein a locking rod is biased towards the first depending arm and configured to engage with one or more recesses defined between the plurality of teeth.

10. The portable electronic device docking unit of claim 9, wherein the first depending arm and the lid are prevented from movement in an opening direction or a closing direction when the locking rod is engaged with one of the one or more recesses.

11. The portable electronic device docking unit of claim 9, wherein the lid and the first depending arm are free to rotate in an opening direction or a closing direction when the locking rod is not engaged with one of the one or more recesses.

12. An electronic device docking unit comprising:

a vehicular storage box having a lid hingedly connected thereto;

a lid opening mechanism including an arm fixed to a shaft;

a drive cable partially disposed below the storage box and connected to the arm and to a spring on opposing ends; and

a pulley configured to guide the drive cable from the arm to the spring, wherein the shaft is rotatably supported by a shaft bracket such that the lid and storage box may be disposed in a plurality of positions for holding a portable electronic device therebetween.

13. The electronic device docking unit of claim 12, wherein the pulley is rotatably supported by a pivot pin engaged with a wall bracket extending from a front end wall of the storage box.

14. The electronic device docking unit of claim 13, wherein the lid opening mechanism and pivot pin are disposed on the wall bracket.

15. The electronic device docking unit of claim 12, wherein a first end of the spring is fastened to a floor of the storage box via a storage box bracket and a second end is connected to the drive cable.

16. The electronic device docking unit of claim 12, wherein the spring has a first amount of tension when the lid is in a fully closed position and a second, lesser amount of tension in a fully open position.

17. The electronic device docking unit of claim 12, wherein the spring is configured to bias the lid in an open position by pulling on the drive cable.

18. The electronic device docking unit of claim 17, wherein a locking mechanism is operable to allow free movement of the lid when released and prevent movement of the lid when engaged and is selectively engageable to hold the lid in a position in which the portable electronic device is clamped between the lid and the storage box in a display position in which the electronic device is visible to a user of a vehicle.