COMMUNICATIONS UNIT FOR FITTING IN VEHICLES

Abstract: A communications unit with a telephone receiver (1) is intended for fitting in a standardized recess (3) for radio equipment in vehicles. The communications unit permits a fitting in which the telephone receiver (1) in a first user position lies sunk and protected in the recess (3). By means of an automatic or manually initiated ejection, the telephone receiver (1) is caused to take up a second user position in which the receiver (1) is given another orientation and a more advanced position relative to the recess (3). In this second position the telephone receiver (1) can be picked up from a telephone receiver holder (20) for manual handling. The invention permits a safer handling of the telephone while driving, and without obstructing the accessibility to other vehicle controls in the vicinity of the recess (3) when the telephone receiver (1) is in its first user position.

Description: Communications unit for fitting in vehicles The invention relates to a communications unit in accordance with the preamble of patent claim 1. Prior art When fitting a mobile telephone in a vehicle, problems often arise in choosing the position of the base unit of the mobile telephone and its telephone receiver. A number of solutions for telephone receiver holders are known which, on the one hand, are intended to afford good accessibility for the vehicle driver when the latter wishes to take the telephone receiver out of the holder and which, on the other hand, are intended to hold the telephone receiver in a storage position. A conventional position for the telephone receiver holder is on the central console between the driver's seat and the passenger seat. German Patent DE 2,822,378 shows such a positioning, in which the holder is arranged in the central console under a displaceable cover, and in which the telephone receiver is lifted up by a spring when the cover is drawn aside. US 4,640,542 shows an alternative solution for positioning between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, where the telephone receiver can be lifted up from a first storage position to a second user position. However, such a positioning of the telephone receiver on or in the central console requires a sufficiently free space on the central console on which there are also arranged vehicle controls such as, for example, the handbrake, gearstick and manoeuvring members for electric windows. The. positioning of these controls has higher priority than the positioning of the mobile telephone, which often means that the telephone receiver must be positioned at a location with poor accessibility. The positioning on the central console is also a dangerous alternative from the point of view of road safety, especially when the driver wishes to dial a telephone number with the telephone receiver in the holder and is then forced to take his eyes off the road to a point between the vehicle seats. Other telephone receiver holders which are positioned on top of the vehicle's instrument panel or on the side of the central console can be of a type similar to that which is described in French Patent Application FR 2,595,890, or in one of American Patents US 3,889,071, US 4,476,354 or US 4,609,790. These positions are also unfavourable since a positioning on top of the instrument panel can obstruct part of the view, and a positioning on the side of the central console encroaches on the leg room and results in sharp surfaces on which the legs can strike. In a further known positioning alternative, use is made of a recess of standardized form prepared in the instrument panel, intended for an ashtray, a storage recess or for extra equipment such as a radio set or the like. The box-shaped base unit of the mobile telephone is in this respect designed in such a way that it can be fitted in the recess and in such a way that a telephone receiver holder can be secured to the side of the base unit facing towards the coupe. The telephone receiver is thus orientated across the opening of the recess. Such a fitting is used for example for mobile telephones sold in Sweden under the trademark Mitsubishi and with the type designation FM 91 D1-5-A. Mitsubishi's telephone receiver holder comprises a universal joint which means that the telephone receiver can be turned manually to selected positions. However, the universal joint requires enough space between the base unit and the telephone receiver so that the telephone receiver is held in a position at a considerable distance from the level of the instrument panel. US 4,617,430 shows an alternative of a universal joint suspension of the telephone receiver, in which the universal joint itself is mounted on the car interior trim panels. The telephone receiver cannot therefore be positioned with its holder in a position recessed in the instrument panel and protecting the telephone receiver. Object of the invention The present invention is intended to permit a road-safe handling of a mobile telephone fitted in a prepared recess in the instrument panel, where the mobile telephone in a first user position is stored in a protected position without obstructing other operating controls accessible to the driver, and making it possible, by means of a simple initiating manipulation, to transfer the telephone receiver to a second user position in which the telephone receiver is given another orientation relative to the driver and, if so desired, can also be lifted out from the holder. To this end, the mobile telephone unit according to the invention is characterized by the features which are specified in the characterizing clause of claim 1. In alternative and advantageous embodiments of the mobile telephone unit according to the invention, the initiating manipulation can trigger the dislodging of the telephone to the second user position by starting-up of an electric motor or release of a preloaded spring. Other features characterizing the invention will emerge from the patent claims and from the following description of an embodiment of the mobile telephone unit according to the invention. In the description reference is made to the attached figures. Brief description of figures Figure 1 shows a front view of an instrument panel on which a communications unit according to the invention is fitted, with its telephone receiver in a first user position, Figure 2 shows a horizontal section ll-ll according to Figure 1 with part of a protective casing for the base unit of the communications unit exposed, Figure 3 shows a view according to Figure 1 with the telephone receiver in a second user position, Figure 4 shows a vertical section IV-IV according to Figure 2, Figure 5 shows an exploded view of the base unit of the communications unit, and Figure 6 shows an alternative drive unit for an ejection mechanism. Description of an exemplary embodiment Figure 1 shows the instrument panel 2 of a vehicle. On the instrument panel 2 there are a number of controls and a steering wheel 4. The controls are positioned in a so-called secondary zone, which is characterized by good accessibility and the fact that it can be viewed without the driver having to take his eyes completely off the road. The controls consist among other things of a ventilation control 5, a control for hazard lights 7 and a control for regulatable air discharge 6. In the secondary zone there is also a recess 3 of standardized design, for example in accordance with the DIN norm, for fitting of a radio set or similar equipment with a recess opening which extends horizontally and in the transverse direction of the vehicle. This recess 3 is used for fitting of a communications unit, preferably a so-called mobile telephone unit consisting of a base unit 10, a telephone receiver holder 20 and a telephone receiver 1. The telephone receiver 1 comprises a push-button set 12 and a function window 13 facing in towards the vehicle coupe. The telephone receiver 1 has in a conventional manner (not shown) a microphone and a earphone arranged integrated at each end of the elongate telephone receiver on the side opposite the push-button set 12. The telephone receiver 1 also comprises in a conventional mannerthe essential parts for telephoning from a vehicle. Attached Figure 1 shows the telephone receiver 1 in a first user position. In this position the telephone receiver 1 is held in such a way that it extends horizontally and in the transverse direction of the vehicle in a first plane along and close to the base unit 10, where the push-button side as well as the microphone/earphone side of the telephone receiver are essentially parallel with this first plane. The base unit 10 is fitted recessed inside that surface of the instrument panel facing the coupe, so that the telephone receiver 1 in this position is protected in the recess, as emerges from Figure 2. This means that unintentional actuation of the telephone controls 12 can be avoided to a greater extent than when the telephone receiver 1 is in too advanced a position relative to the other controls. In accordance with the present invention the telephone receiver 1 can be caused to assume a second user position, in which it is both ejected from the recess 3 and turned relative to the first position in such a way that the telephone receiver is turned upwards with its extent essentially at right angles to the first user position and parallel to the first plane. In this way, the push-button side of the telephone receiver retains the same direction towards the driver for the purpose of operating the telephone controls 12. The second position is shown in Figures 3 and 4. The holder 20 for the telephone receiver 1 is securely connected to one end of an ejector bar 23 incorporated in the base unit 10. This ejector bar 23 is designed in its axial extension at the end opposite the holder 20 with a gear rack 39 with partial- circle gear segments. The gear rack 39 cooperates with an electric motor 28 and a gear transmission 25, 26, 27 for axial displacement of the bar 23. The bar 23 is designed with a radially directed, fixed guide pin 40 which engages in a slidable manner in an S-shaped guide groove 44 in a guide rail 24 arranged concentrically around the bar 23. In this way the ejector bar 23 undergoes simultaneous turning during ejection. The circular gear segments on the gear rack 39 enable the ejector bar 23 to turn relative to an end cog 27 in the gear transmission 25, 26, 27 engaging with the gear segment. In this exemplary embodiment the bar 23 is turned 90° during the ejection. The circular gear segments are therefore only formed over a corresponding part of the periphery of the bar 23. If, in an alternative embodiment, the turning is effected about another angle, these gear segments should have an extension in the peripheral direction slightly exceeding the present angle range. After a complete ejection of the holder 20, the telephone receiver 1 has an essentially vertical orientation as shown in Figures 3 and 4. In this position the telephone receiver 1 can be lifted out of the holder 20 or can be used held in this second user position. In this second position according to Figures 3 and 4, the front panel 22 of the base unit 10 is partly exposed. The front panel can here be designed with an accumulator compartment accommodating a reserve accumulator 9 for the telephone receiver 1. The reserve accumulator 9 is employed if, for example, the telephone receiver 1 is to be used outside the vehicle and the accumulator in the telephone receiver 1 has begun to lose power. The base unit 10 is shown in an exploded view in Figure 5. In order for the base unit 10 to be held securely in the recess 3, the base unit 10 is designed with spring-back locking shoulders 35 which catch hold behind the recess opening 3. The base unit 10 consists of a box-shaped protective casing 29 accommodating the ejector bar 23, the guide rail 24, the gear transmission 25, 26, 27, the gear rack 39 and the electric motor 28. Also included is a control unit 30 and regulator 32 for the operation of the electric motor 28. The gear transmission consists of a bracket 25 in which there are arranged bearings 36 and 37 respectively for a cog wheel 26 driven by the electric motor28 and forthe end cog 27. The electric motor 28 is mounted on the bracket 25 with the cog wheel 26 mounted fixed in terms of rotation on the shaft ofthe electric motor 28. The cog wheel 26 engages with a cog section on the end cog 27 of smaller diameter, and a cog section of greater diameter on the end cog 27 engages with the gear rack 39. The bracket 25 is also designed with a guide shoulder 38 which bears on and centres the ejector bar 23 diametrically opposite the engagement point ofthe end cog 27 with the gear rack 39. The arcuate guide rail 24 is mounted concentric to the longitudinal axis of the ejector bar 23. The arcuate surface ofthe guide rail 24 comprises the S-shaped guide groove 44 in which the guide pin 40 on the ejector bar 23 is guided in a slidable manner. When the ejector bar 23 is driven out in the axial direction through a passage 41 in the front panel 22 under the action of the gear transmission 25, 26, 27, the guide groove 44 guides the guide pin 40 in such a way that the ejector bar 23 turns. In this way the holder 20 which is mounted fixed on the end ofthe ejector bar 23 is turned during simultaneous ejection. The ejector bar 23 and its passage 41 in the front panel 22 are advantageously arranged near one of the corners of the recess 3. As a result of this eccentricity, the telephone receiver 1 is turned away from the recess 3 upon ejection in such a way thatthe accumulator compartment 8 in the front panel 22 is completely exposed. The gear transmission 25, 26, 27 is driven by the electric motor 28 via the regulator unit 32. The regulator unit 32 can advantageously comprise current-limiting members which function in such a way thatthe electric motor 28 drives the ejector bar 23 to its end position, after which the current increases. This is detected by the regulator unit 32 which thereafter interrupts the current supply to the electric motor 28. The regulator 32 is coupled to the electric motor 28 via a cable 15 and via conventional connecting pins (not shown). The regulator 32 is connected to the control unit 30 via a cable 16. A cable 34 leads from the control unit and extends inside through the ejector bar 23 from its inner gear rack end to the holder 20 mounted on the bar 23, where the cable 34 is connected to two coupling pins 33. The coupling pins 33 are used as securing members for the telephone receiver 1 and as signal transmission members between the control unit 30 and the telephone receiver 1. For example, an incoming call can give a signal to the control unit 30 for activating the electric motor 28 for ejecting the bar 23. In other cases the driver can give a corresponding signal by means of manual actuation of a function key 14 on the telephone receiver 1 or a function key 17 on the instrument panel 2. For insertion back to the first user position, the function keys 14, 17 are advantageously actuated again with the result that the electric motor 28 drives the ejector bar 23 in the opposite direction. The insertion can also be achieved by means of manual pressing and turning of the telephone receiver 1 to the first user position. By way of a cable 18 the control unit 30 can be coupled to other units in the car and to a current supply via a coupling device 31. An automatic ejecting function in the event of incoming calls can also be disconnected by means of a function key 19 on the telephone receiver 1. The coupling device 31 can also be used for connection to equipment for so- called hands-free function, which can be selected with other function keys placed either on the telephone receiver 1 or on the instrument panel 2. The hands-free function makes it possible to conduct a telephone conversation without holding the telephone receiver 1 to the ear. For this purpose use is preferably made of a separate, fixed microphone 21 and a pair of loudspeakers (not shown), advantageously the same loudspeakers as used for a radio set which may be present in the vehicle. In the embodiment illustrated, the microphone 21 is integrated in the holder 20. The microphone 21 can be directed towards the driver in one or both ofthe use positions. On the control unit 30 there is also a fixed charging unit for the reserve accumulator 9. The reserve accumulator 9 is guided by means of guide rails 43 towards coupling pins 42 when the accumulator 9 is introduced into the accumulator compartment 8 in the front panel 22. In this way the reserve accumulator 9 can be stored with simultaneous maintained charging, so that a fully charged accumulator is at all times available. In an alternative embodiment as shown in Figure 6 in accordance with the underlying concept ofthe invention, the gear transmission 25, 26, 27 and its electric motor 28 can be replaced by a simple spring mechanism 50. The spring mechanism 50 can advantageously consist of a cylindrical coiled spring 51 partially arranged concentrically on the ejector bar 23 and axially tensioned between a contact washer 52 arranged fixed on the ejector bar in the vicinity of its guide pin 40 and the base wall 53 ofthe protective casing 29. In this way the spring can be compressed manually and loaded upon insertion to the first user position, in which a locking hook 54 releasable by the control unit 30 locksthe compressed spiral spring 51. Upon ejection, the locking hook 54 is first released by a release mechanism 55 controlled by the control unit, after which the spring 51 drives the ejector bar 23 out to the second end position corresponding to the second user position. With the gear transmission shown, in a further alternative embodiment the ejecting force can also be achieved by means of a plane coiled spring arranged parallel to the cog wheel 26 and which, by means of direct connection to the shaft ofthe cog wheel 26, is pretensioned upon insertion. The exemplary embodiment shown relates to a so-called mobile telephone for telephone conversations, but the inventive concept is also ' appiicable to other similar communications equipment, such as, for example, hand pieces for communications radio sets.The invention should not be regarded as being limited to communications units which are securely fixed in the vehicle. The base unit 10 can also be fitted in a known manner in the recess 3 in a removable carrier.

Claims: PATENT CLAIMS 1. Communications unit for fitting in a vehicle, preferably in a recess (3) prepared in the instrument panel (2) ofthe vehicle and with a recess opening extending horizontally and in the transverse direction ofthe vehicle, which communications unit comprises a base unit (10) with a telephone receiver holder (20) which holds a removably arranged, elongate telephone receiver (1) in a first user position, in which the one side ofthe telephone receiver with integrated microphone and earphone is essentially parallel to the said first plane, ch aracterized in thatthe base unit(10) comprises drive members (26, 27, 28, 39) for ejection ofthe holder (20), which drive members are actuated by means of initiation members (30), and that the drive members (25) comprise guide means (23, 24, 40, 44) which guide the holder during the ejection movement in such a way that the holder (20) and the telephone receiver (1) arranged thereon are moved in a combined parallel displacement and turning movement to a second user position in which the telephone receiver is turned upwards with its extension essentially at right angles to the first user position and parallel to the first plane. 2. Communications unit according to patent claim 1, ch a ra cte r i zed i n thatthe drive members (26, 27, 39) comprise as a drive source an electric motor (28). 3. Communications unit according to patent claim 1, characterized i n thatthe drive members (26, 27, 39) comprise as a drive source a spring member (51). 4. Communications unit according to patent claim 3, cha racterized i n thatthe spring member is arranged between a fixed part (53) in the base unit (10) and an ejector member (23) and is tensioned when the telephone receiver (1) and its holder (20) are manually pressed in from the second user position to the first user position, in which position the spring is held tensioned by means ofthe releasable initiation member (54). 5. Communications unit according to any one ofthe preceding patent claims, characterized in that an ejector member (23) with axial extension is secured at its one end to the telephone receiver holder (20) and at its other end is designed with a gear rack (39), thatthe gear rack (39) cooperates with a geartransmission (25, 26, 27) incorporated in the drive members for axial displacement ofthe ejector member (23), that the ejector member (23) is provided with a radially directed guide pin (40) engaging in a slidable manner in a guide groove (44) in a guide rail (24) arranged secure around the ejector member (23), and thatthe guide groove (44) has an extension which imparts to the ejector member (23) a turning movementduring simultaneous axial displacement. 6. Communications unit according to patent claim 5, ch a r a cte r ized i n thatthe gear rack (39) is designed with circular gear segments for continuous engagement ofthe geartransmission (26, 27) during turning of the gear rack (39) and the ejector member (23). 7. Communications unit according to patent claim 1,cha racte rized i n thatthe initiation member consists of a manually actuable release actuator (14, 17). 8. Communications unit according to patent claim T, characterized i n- thatthe initiation member consists of a detector circuit which detects an incoming telephone call and in this way activates the drive members (28) by means of a release actuator. 9. Communications unit according to patent claim 8, characterized in that a reset member (19) is available for disconnection of automatic release upon incoming calls. 10. Communications unit according to patent claim 1, ch a ra cte ri ze d in thatthe holder (20) comprises a fixed microphone (21) which can be activated in at least one ofthe user positions ofthe holder. 11. Communications unit according to patent claim ^characterized i n that the base unit is designed with a recess (8) for a reserve accumulator (9) for the telephone receiver (1), which recess (8) is arranged concealed in the base unit (10) under the telephone receiver (1) when the telephone receiver (1) is arranged in the holder (20) in the first user position and in that the recess (8) comprises means (30, 42) for charging of a reserve battery (9) arranged in the recess (8). 12. Communications unit according to any one of the preceding patent claims, in which the communications unit is intended to be fitted in a recess (3) of essentially rectangular form prepared in the instrument panel (2), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the ejector bar (23) is designed to emerge from the base unit (10) close to one of the corners of the recess (3) in such a way thatthe holder (20) arranged on the ejector bar (23) during ejection from the first user position is ejected and turned away from the recess (3) to the second user position in such a way that the telephone receiver (1) arranged on the holder (20) takes up a position in which the recess (3) is essentially exposed.

Inventors: GUDMUNDSON JOHN-GUSTAF, LANG ULF, GUDMUNDSON, JOHN-GUSTAF, LANG, ULF
Applicants: SAAB AUTOMOBILE, SAAB AUTOMOBILE AB
Application year: 1989
Main classification: H04M1
IPC codes: B60R11, H04M1