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Dial system for a steering wheel of an automobile

  • US 7,565,180 B2
  • Filed: 10/11/2005
  • Issued: 07/21/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A dial system for steering wheel of an automobile, comprising:

  • a main dial; and

    a secondary dial electrically connected to the main dial by a cable, whereinthe main dial comprises;

    a first housing including a longitudinal opening and a plurality of openings defined therein;

    a dial set received in the first housing and including a metal plate mounted to the first housing, a plurality of number buttons secured on the metal plate and received in the longitudinal opening in the first housing;

    a circuit board received in the first housing, the circuit board including a plurality of button switches electrically mounted thereon, each button switch aligning with a corresponding one of the number buttons such that the button switches are operated when the corresponding number button is pressed, a bluetooth chip electrically disposed on the circuit board, and a bluetooth transmitter electrically mounted on a bottom of the circuit board for wirelessly transmitting signals to a mobile phone when the button switches are operated;

    a second housing mounted to the first housing to form a space for receiving the dial set and the circuit board;

    a battery seat with a battery laterally inserted into the space between the first housing and the second housing, the battery electrically connected to the circuit board for providing power to the circuit board when the battery seat inserted into the space between the first housing and the second housing; and

    a clamp mounted to a bottom of the second housing and adapted to clamp the steering wheel to hold the dial system in place on the steering wheel for an easy operation;

    the secondary dial comprises;

    a first housing including a longitudinal opening and a plurality of openings defined therein;

    a dial set received in the first housing and including a metal plate mounted to the first housing, a plurality of number buttons secured on the metal plate and received in the longitudinal opening in the first housing;

    a circuit board received in the first housing, the circuit board including a plurality of button switches electrically mounted thereon, each button switch aligning with a corresponding one of the number buttons such that the button switches are operated when the corresponding number button is pressed;

    a second housing mounted to the first housing to form a space for receiving the dial set and the circuit board; and

    a clamp mounted to a bottom of the second housing and adapted to clamp the steering wheel to hold the dial system in place on the steering wheel for an easy operation;

    at least one of the main dial and the secondary dial includes a microphone and a speaker electrically mounted on the circuit board thereof;

    the first housing comprises a plurality of stubs extending therefrom through the metal plate, and a stopper having a plurality of stubs defined to securely receive the stubs after extending through the metal plate to hold the metal plate in place;

    the bluetooth transmitter transmits the signal, which is received from the microphone, to the mobile phone; and

    the clamp includes a curved first portion and a curved second portion each having a fixing plate laterally extending from one side thereof and abutting each other and corresponding to the shape of the steering wheel, each fixing plate having a hole defined therein and aligning with each other, the bluetooth transmitter extending through the hole in each of the fixing plates after the dial system being assembled.

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