HOLDER ASSEMBLY FOR A UNIT TO BE FITTED AT LEAST PARTIALLY RECESSED IN A PANEL

Abstract: Holder assembly for a unit which is to be fitted at least partially recessed in a panel (13). This holder assembly comprises a cage structure (1) enclosing the unit to be fitted at least at the side of the panel, and fixing means to permit fixing of the cage structure (1) in a detachable manner to a further structural element (14) lying behind the panel (13).

Description: Holder assembly for a unit to be fitted at least partially recessed in a panel The present invention relates to a holder assembly for a unit to be fitted at least partially recessed in a panel. Such holder assemblies are generally known in the state of the art as "radio slides" from which the audio equipment can be removed to prevent theft when a vehicle is being locked and can be rapidly and effi¬ ciently fitted when the vehicle is being used again. The disadvan¬ tage of this holder assembly is, however, that you always have* to remove the audio equipment, take it with you, and replace it, while the delicate connection system between slide and audio equipment gives rise to problems. Not taking the equipment with you nowadays very soon means that you incur the penalty of theft. The object of the present invention is to provide a holder assembly of the above- mentioned type, with which it is possible to take a unit for fit¬ ting in a panel and fit it permanently without having to fear the risk of theft of the unit from the panel. This object is achieved with a holder assembly of the above- mentioned type in that it comprises a cage structure enclosing the unit at least at the side of the panel and has fixing means to permit fixing of the cage structure in a detachable manner to a further structural element lying behind the panel. Surrounding the unit, such as audio equipment, with a cage structure and fixing said cage structure to a further structural element lying behind the panel produces a theftproof structure, because it is not possible to remove the unit from the panel with- out first disconnecting the cage structure. According to an advantageous embodiment, the cage structure comprises a section which partially covers the unit at the front when it is fitted, and when the -unit is fitted has on two opposite sides thereof side elements which adjoin the section and which at the ends away from the section are provided with apertures for fixing a cross carrier. In this way the unit can be inserted in a particularly simple manner into the cage structure. According to an advantageous embodiment, the cross carrier is provided here with fixing means which can engage with the remainder of the structural element. The connection with the remainder of the structural ele- ment can be made detachable by displacing the fixing means. According to another advantageous embodiment, the fixing means comprise a member which can take a tensile load in the direc¬ tion of removal, which is fitted on the cross carrier, and which is designed to extend through an aperture in the remainder of the structural element, and means which can be fitted on the tensile load-taking member in order to prevent movement back through said aperture. Through enclosing the unit, such as audio equipment, with a cage structure and fitting it, together with the cage structure provided with a tensile load- aking member, at least partially recessed in the panel and then fixing the tensile load-taking member in such a way that removal of the cage structure or the unit is impossible, a theftproof structure is achieved. For it is only possible to remove the unit from the panel either by breaking the cage structure or by detaching the connection between tensile load-taking member and other structural element. Since only the front of the cage structure projects from the panel, this part can be made of a particularly solid design at relatively low cost', while the other parts only have to be arranged in such a way that they can withstand the tensile stress occurring during breakage attempts. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, when the unit to be fitted is fitted, the cage structure has a section extending along " the peripheral edge, in which the side members have lips, provided with a receding part near the section. Fitting a section extending along the external peripheral edge of the unit means that the unit cannot be removed without breaking open the cage structure, on the one hand, while control elements of the unit remain freely accessible, on the other. The unit can be inserted in the cage structure by bending the lips outwards, sliding in the unit up to the said section, bending the lips in¬ wards, and fitting the cross carrier, preceded or followed if necessary by fixing the tensile load-taking member thereto. This tensile load-taking member can be guided through an aperture, for example, in the body of a vehicle. The receding part of the lips near the peripheral section serves to limit the possibilities for pressing the cage structure inwards through the panel. According to another advantageous embodiment, the cage struc¬ ture comprises a sheath which accommodates the unit and at the end lying near the panel when the unit is fitted is provided with a transverse section lying a distance away from the unit. With this method, the unit to be fitted has the slightly larger cover plate present for example in audio equipment removed from it and is inserted through the sheath from the back, and the cover plate is replaced after fitting. While, on the one hand, the transverse section lying some distance away hardly obstructs the operation of the equipment at all, it does have the effect of deterring people, on the other. The tensile load-taking member can comprise a cable strand. The advantage of this is that a member which can take a consider¬ able tensile load can be achieved in a relatively simple manner while, on the other hand, the aperture to be provided in, fot example, a vehicle body does not have to be positioned very accura¬ tely, and obstacles in the path between cage structure and aperture can be avoided. According to an advantageous embodiment, the ten¬ sile load-taking element is provided at the end thereof with means for accommodating a lock. This means that only persons authorized to do so are able to remove the holder assembly according to the invention. In order to avoid problems arising in the remainder of the section through the aperture "not lying on the axis of the cage structure, the tensile load-taking member is provided so that it is adjustable relative to the carrier. The invention will be explained in greater detail below with reference to an example of an embodiment shown in the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a cutaway perspective view of the holder assem¬ bly according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a partial cross section of the holder assembly according to the invention when fitted; Fig. 3 is a part of another embodiment of the holder assembly in cross section; and Fig. 4 is a cross section IV-IV from Fig. 3. In Fig. 1 a cage structure is shown in its entirety by 1. It comprises a peripheral section 2 and lips 3. The lips 3 are provi¬ ded at 4 with a weakened part, in order to permit bending outwards thereof near the apertures 5. A transverse section 6 can be fitted at the apertures 5. This can be achieved by fitting socket screws 7 or rivets 8 on either side, but also by welding transverse section 6 to one of the lips 3 beforehand " and fixing the other lip 3 in the manner described above to the transverse section 6. A tensile load- taking member 9, which can be a steel cable provided at one-end with a head 10 which accommodates the transverse section 6, is provided so that it slides on transverse section 6. This head 10 can be provided with fixing means (not shown) for fixing to trans¬ verse section 6. At the other end the tensile load-taking member 9 is provided with a slot 11 to which a locking structure, such as a lock, indicated schematically by 12, can be fixed in detachable and engaging fashion. Fig. 2 shows the holder assembly according- feo Fig. 1 in the assembled state, provided now with an audio unit and fitted in, for example, a vehicle. The audio unit 15 is fitted by bending the lips outwards near the apertures 5, sliding the audio" unit into the cage structure 1, and confining it by fitting the transverse section 6. If the holder assembly, comprising the cage structure 1 , transverse section 6 and tensile load-taking member 9, is then fitted in panel 13 and in the process the tensile load- taking member 9 is inserted through aperture 16 in the dashboard or another section of, for example, -a vehicle, followed by the fitting of locking structure 12, it is no longer possible to remove unit 15 from panel 13 without removing locking structure 12. Spring 17 is provided in order to accommodate slight distance variations between panel 13 and 14. A defor able ring 18 is also provided in order to shut off aperture 16 fully. This is particularly important if the holder assembly described here is being used in a motor vehicle in which 14 is the body, so that it is possible to prevent cold and/or hot air, which may or may not be polluted, from passing from the engine compartment to the passenger compartment. Head 10 also has a cable 19 with eye which, as can be seen in particular from Fig. 2, can be fixed to unit 15 by means of a bolt 20. This provides, on the one hand, for an earth connection and, on the other, gives further protection against removal of unit 15. It is clear that, after fitting, unit 15 can be removed only by breaking open peripheral section 2. This is virtually impos¬ sible, since it is relatively close to panel 13 and is made of very sturdy material. The other parts, lying behind peripheral section 2, for locking structure 12 are difficult or impossible to reach, so that it is very difficult to destroy them. This means that it is also possible to make these parts less heavy than the peripheral section 2. If it is possible to reach locking structure 12 easily, for example by opening the bonnet, this structure must be made very sturdy, for example in the form of a lock used for cable locks. Anyway, the chance of a person with malicious intent going so far is very slight. It emerges from the above and from the figures that a parti¬ cularly sturdy theftproof unit can be achieved in this way, in which the person with malicious intent always sees the peripheral section 2 clearly, and this will already deter him from putting his malicious plans into action. In order to emphasize the presence of the holder assembly according to the invention, the peripheral section can be made so that it is striking, for example chro e- plated. The peripheral section also protects the front of the unit 15. This is particularly important if it is fitted with control buttons and the like. The peripheral section can also be designed in such a way that when it is being fitted in a vehicle injuries resulting from, for example, knocking parts of the body against it, are avoided as far as possible. Fig. 3 shows a detail of a modified embodiment of the holder assembly according to the invention. This detail shows the end situated away from the holder assembly. Instead of the transverse section 6, a transverse tube 25 is present here, provided with a nut 26 and a collar 27. Nut 26 can be fitted on the part of tube 25 which projects through aperture 28. Nut 26 is secured after fitting in such a way that tube 25 can no longer be pulled out of aperture 28. The presence of collar 27 means that tube 25 is confined in the lips 23. A lock 29 is present in tube 25. If a suitable key is provided therein, it is possible to move lock 30 to and fro between the position shown in Fig. 3, in which it engages with, a hook 31, 5 and a position outside, in which lock 30 releases hook 31. Hook 31 is connected by means of fastening 32 to the remainder of the structural element such as the body or cardan tunnel of a motor vehicle. This is shown in greater detail in Fig. 4. When, hook 31 has come away from lock 30 the cage structure can be detached, ' 10 following which the cage structure can be taken out of the vehicle. This structure is particularly suitable for designs in which- it is difficult to fit a tensile load-taking member, more particularly in designs where a fastening 32 is already present for hook 31. Here, instead of a lock being used, the locking can be by other mecha- 15 nical or electrical means. Although a preferred embodiment is described above, it must be understood that anyone skilled in the state of the art could make all kinds of modifications thereto which are obvious, without going beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, the 20 fixing of the tensile load-taking member to the cage structure and the vehicle body can be carried out in many other ways, and this structure can itself be the subject of many modifications. The tensile load-taking member can also be fixed to the panel -14 in numerous other ways which are known in the art. The tensile load- 25 taking member can also be in the form of a chain, bar or the like.

Claims: AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 11 May 1989 (11.05.89) original claims 1-9 replaced by new claims 1-7 (1 page)] 1. Holder assembly for a unit to be fitted at least partially recessed in a panel, comprising a cage structure enclosing the unit at least at the side of the panel and fixing means to permit fixing of the cage structure in a detachable manner to a further structure element lying behind the panel, characterized in that said cage structure comprises side members connected to said section and provided at their ends remote from said section with means to receive a cross carrier to which said fixing means are to be connected. 2. Holder assembly according to claim 1 in which the fixing means comprise a member which can take a tensile load in the direction of removal, which is fitted on the cross carrier, and which is designed to extend through an aperture in the remainder of the structural element, and means which can be fitted on the tensile load-taking member in order to prevent movement back through said aperture. 3. Holder assembly according to claim 1 or 2, the cage structure comprising a section extending along the peripheral edge of the unit to be enclosed in which the side members have lips, provided with a stepped part near the section. 4. Holder assembly according to claims 1-3 in which the cage structure comprises a sheet which accommodates the unit, and at the end lying near the panel when the unit is fited is provided with a transver¬ se section lying spaced from the unit. 5. Holder assembly according to one of the preceding claims, in which the tensile load-absorbing member comprises a cable strand. 6. Holder assembly according to one of the preceding claims, in which the tensile load-taking member is provided at the end thereof with means for accommodating a lock. 7. Holder assembly according to one of the preceding claims in which the tensile load-taking member is adjustable relative to the carrier.

Inventors: SCHWARZ JOHANNES, VAN DER VLIET TIMOTHEUS THEODO, VAN VELZEN BARTHOLOMEUS PIETER, SCHWARZ, JOHANNES, VAN DER VLIET, TIMOTHEUS, THEODORUS, VAN VELZEN, BARTHOLOMEUS, PIETER
Applicants: SCHWARZ JOHANNES, VLIET TIMOTHEUS THEODORUS V D, SCHWARZ, JOHANNES, VAN DER VLIET, TIMOTHEUS, THEODORUS
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B60R11
IPC codes: B60R11