Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – With guiding means for removable automobile radio or record...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-04
2001-02-27
Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
With guiding means for removable automobile radio or record...
C439S164000, C439S358000, C361S814000, C455S347000, C369S075110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193538
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to audio rack for a vehicle, into which is installed one piece of electrical equipment selected from a plurality of pieces of electrical equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
In art related to the present invention, a piece of audio equipment is installed in a center cluster module at the front part of a vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
However, when replacing one piece of electrical equipment with another, it is necessary to remove fasteners such as screws, using a screwdriver or the like, and to temporarily remove power cables and signal cables and then reconnect them, this involving the re-tightening of the removed fasteners, making the equipment replacement task both complex and time-consuming.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an audio rack for a vehicle, which enables easy replacement of electrical equipment, and which also prevents the occurrence of connection problems.
To achieve the above-noted object, an audio rack according to the present invention has a rack case, a receiving connector, an operating unit, a linking mechanism, a controller, and a flexible flat cable. The rack case has an opening into which is inserted one piece of electrical equipment, which is selected from a plurality of pieces of electrical equipment. The receiving connector is fixed within the rack case. The operating unit has a shape that is suited to covering the opening, and has switches that correspond to the various pieces of electrical equipment. The linking mechanism links the operating unit and the rack case, and permits the operating unit to be moved between a first position and a second position. When at the first position the operating panel covers the opening, and when at the second position the operating unit is removed from the opening, thereby allowing access thereto. The controller is fixed with respect to the rack case, and is electrically connected to the receiving connector, so as to enable control of the pieces of electrical equipment that can be individually inserted into the rack case. The cable makes a connection between the operating unit and the controller, and permits the movement of the operating unit.
In the present invention, it is possible for the operating unit in the second position to adjacent to the opening.
According to the above-noted arrangement, in the condition in which a piece of electrical equipment is installed into the rack case, the opening of the rack case is covered by the operating unit in the first position. When one of the switches of the operating unit is operated, an operating signal is input to the controller via the cable, so that the controller controls the piece of electrical equipment corresponding to the operating signal.
When the piece of electrical equipment currently installed in the rack case is to be replaced by a different piece of equipment, the operating unit is moved to the second position, so as to provide access to the opening. Next, the electrical equipment within the rack case is pulled out, and a different piece of electrical equipment is inserted in its place. By pulling the electrical equipment out from within the rack case, the electrical connection between the electrical equipment and the receiving connector is released, and by inserting a piece of electrical equipment into the rack case, an electrical connection is established between the electrical equipment and the receiving connector. Finally, the operating unit is moved to the first position. In essence, when replacing a piece of electrical equipment in the present invention, the making and breaking of the electrical connection is achieved automatically by the action of removing and inserting the equipment. There is, therefore, absolutely no need to remove fasteners such as screws using a fixtures or tools, or to perform any task to achieve an electrical connection, thereby facilitating the replacement of the electrical equipment. In addition to this advantage, the occurrence of a faulty electrical connection is prevented.
In the present invention, the linking mechanism has a first linking rod and a second linking rod, in which case one end of the first linking rod is rotatably linked to the rack case by a first pin, one end of the second linking rod is rotatably linked to the other end of the first linking rod by a second pin, and the other end of the second linking rod is rotatably linked to the operating unit by a third pin.
The above-described configuration provides a linking mechanism of simple construction.
In the present invention, it is possible for the audio rack to further have an operating unit locking mechanism whereby the operating unit at the first position is releasably locked into the rack case.
According to the above-noted configuration, the operating unit is held at the first position by means of the operating unit locking mechanism.
The operating unit locking mechanism can include a mating part that is provided in the rack case, and a resilient arm, which extends from the operating unit. The resilient arm has a first protrusion, which can freely mate with the mating part of the operating unit locking mechanism. When the operating unit is at the first position, the first protrusion mates with this mating part, thereby preventing movement of the operating unit.
According to the above-noted configuration, when the operating unit is at the first position, by the mating of the first protrusion with the mating part, movement of the operating unit is prevented, and by resilient deformation of the resilient arm the mating of the first protrusion and the mating part is released, thereby allowing the operating unit to be moved from the first position.
The operating unit locking mechanism can further include a through hole that is formed in the operating unit, in which case the resilient arm can further have a second protrusion, which releasably mates with the through hole. When the operating unit is at the first and second positions, the second protrusion is positioned in the through hole.
According to the above-noted configuration, when the operating unit is at the first position, the first protrusion mates with the mating part and the second protrusion is positioned in the through hole. By pressing the second protrusion in the through hole, the resilient arm can be easily resiliently deformed, so that the mating of the first protrusion with the mating part is released, thereby allowing the operating unit to be moved from the first position.
The audio rack of the present invention can also have an equipment locking mechanism that releasably locks a piece of equipment into the rack case when the equipment is inserted thereinto.
According to the above-noted configuration, the action of the equipment locking mechanism is to prevent looseness of a piece of equipment within the rack case.
The above-noted equipment locking mechanism can further include a pressure-operated member that is pressed, and a rotating member that is substantially C-shaped. The pressure member is slidably supported so that it can move between the unlocked position and the locked position of the rack case. The rotating member is rotatably supported by the rack case. One end of the rotating member rotatably linked to the pressure member. In the condition in which a piece of electrical equipment is inserted into the rack case, when the pressure member is pressed, so as to move from the unlocked position to the locked position, the rotating member rotates, so that the other end of the rotating member mates with a mating part on the electrical equipment. With this other end of the rotating member mated to the mating part, if the equipment is pulled out of the rack case, the mating part presses the other end of the rotating member, causing the rotating member to rotate, so that the other end of the rotating member is released from the mating part, the pressure member moving to the unlocked position.
According to the above-noted configuration, pressure on the pressure membe
Amari Takeyuki
Furuya Yoshiyuki
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Nguyen Khiem
Yazaki -Corporation
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