Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Vehicle mounted systems – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-08
2001-08-14
Paladini, Albert W. (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Vehicle mounted systems
Automobile
C343S711000, C343S901000, C455S129000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06274946
ABSTRACT:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 10-104662 filed on Apr. 15, 1998 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lever combination switch unit installed around a steering wheel of a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a lever combination switch unit provided with an operation lever for operating a wiper unit or a turn signal unit of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been a vehicle incorporating a keyless system in which an identification signal sent from a transmitter incorporated into an ignition key is received by a reception circuit and further decoded such that the door is locked/unlocked, the trunk is opened, the engine is started, and so forth. There also has been a vehicle incorporating an anti-burglar system which sounds an alarm or disconnects the starter circuit if an identification signal transmitted from the electronic key as the ignition key cannot be decoded so as to protect the vehicle from burglars.
In the aforementioned keyless system, electromagnetic waves are used for transmitting and receiving the identification signal. In the case where an obstacle exists between the transmitter and an antenna, the electromagnetic waves tend to shorten the operating distance of the keyless system, that is, the distance from the antenna which enables the reception of the identification signal. Furthermore, the keyless reception circuit or antenna is generally installed in places where it is difficult for the electronic wave from outside to reach the vehicle; for example, at the lower portion of the seat or inside the trunk. Therefore, there were cases where the operating distance of the keyless system would vary depending on the position of the ignition key around the vehicle.
Meanwhile the antenna for receiving the identification signal transmitted from the electronic key is positioned on the front surface of the ignition key cylinder. Accordingly, the antenna can also be used with the keyless system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In conjunction with the foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lever combination switch unit that allows the operation distance of the keyless system to be maintained around the vehicle and reduces the cost by incorporating the circuits that constitute the keyless system and the anti-burglar system together.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is a lever combination switch unit including a switch body, an operation lever installed at either the right or left side of the switch body, and an antenna for a keyless reception circuit incorporated into the operation lever.
The lever combination switch unit according to the first aspect of this invention incorporates an antenna for a keyless reception circuit in an operation lever installed at either to the left or the right side of the switch body. As the antenna is positioned at an optimum location for receiving the electric waves, the operation distance of the keyless system is maintained around the vehicle.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is a lever combination switch unit of the first aspect in which an antenna for the keyless reception circuit is also used as an antenna for the anti-burglar amplifier circuit.
The lever combination switch unit according to the second aspect of the invention uses the antenna not only for the keyless reception circuit, but also for the anti-burglar system amplifier circuit. This allows the arrangement of the wire harness to be simplified as well as reduces the amount of space and number of man-hours required for incorporation.
According to the third aspect of the invention, the lever combination switch unit of the first aspect has either the aforementioned keyless reception circuit or the aforementioned anti-burglar amplifier circuit incorporated into the aforementioned switch body.
The lever combination switch unit according to the third aspect of the invention has both the keyless reception circuit and the anti-burglar amplifier circuit incorporated into the switch body. This allows the case for the circuit and the bracket for installation to be eliminated, and reduces the number of man-hours for incorporation, thus allowing for costs to be reduced.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5640689 (1997-06-01), Rossi
patent: 5852422 (1998-12-01), Imanishi
patent: 6036859 (2000-03-01), Flick
patent: 6078293 (2000-06-01), Yamamoto
patent: 7-312513 (1995-11-01), None
patent: 8-268227 (1996-10-01), None
Hayashi Hirofumi
Maeda Shinji
Nishio Minoru
Ushiroda Kazunori
Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Paladini Albert W.
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