FR3047701A1 - HOLDING DEVICE FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC APPARATUS. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (10) for holding a portable electronic device (1) on a dashboard (11) of a motor vehicle, comprising a dashboard wall (13) comprising a housing (14). and a receiving member of said apparatus adapted to be integrated in said housing, said receiving member comprising two movable bars (15a, 15b) opposed to each other in a main direction and between which said apparatus is to be arranged along one of its length or width dimensions, said two movable bars being able to be moved away from or closer to each other along said main direction in order to adjust the spacing between them in said main direction and being urged to towards the other by thrust springs so as to be held in contact with said apparatus.

Description

The invention relates to the field of the arrangement of accessories on the dashboard of a motor vehicle. It relates more particularly to a holding device for portable electronic device intended to be integrated in a dashboard of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to an instrument panel comprising such a holding device.

Portable electronic devices are understood to mean devices such as mobile phones, for example mobile phones of the "smartphone" type, multimedia electronic tablets, touch tablets, or more generally any other type of portable electronic device of generally parallelepipedal shape. and having a screen to be viewed or modified by the user. The increasing use of these devices generates a need for the user to be able to position them in the motor vehicle, particularly when the user is the front passenger of the motor vehicle.

It is known to fix these portable electronic devices on the dashboard of the motor vehicle using a conventional system of suction cup. However, this vacuum system, in addition to distorts the overall appearance of the dashboard, does not allow a solid and reliable attachment of the portable device to the dashboard, especially in a context where the vehicle is subjected to vibrations likely to cause the loss of support by uncoupling.

It is also known portable devices supports that are integrated into the dashboard of the motor vehicle so as to maintain the overall aesthetic appearance of the dashboard. Patent document FR 2 909 215 discloses such a support. This support, intended to form part of the dashboard of the vehicle, comprises a base intended to be secured to the dashboard and a base defining at least one receiving housing of the apparatus, the base being mounted angularly displaceable by relative to the base between a closed position and a position making the housing accessible. However, the housing for receiving the device is in the form of a simple L-shaped housing unable to ensure a reliable and solid maintenance of the device under any circumstances. In addition, it is expected that the housing is provided at its bottom with a connector for connection to the device. Once installed on the dashboard of the vehicle, this device can therefore receive a limited range of portable electronic devices including the only devices compatible in size and connectivity with the housing provided.

However, portable electronic devices are likely to have extremely varied dimensions.

In this context, there is a need for a portable electronic device holding device that can be integrated into a dashboard of a motor vehicle, to reliably and securely maintain portable electronic devices of various sizes, while allowing to preserve the general aesthetic appearance of the dashboard, in particular when the holding device is not used. To this end, the subject of the invention is a device for holding a portable electronic device intended to be integrated into a dashboard of a motor vehicle, comprising a dashboard wall comprising a housing made in said wall of dashboard and a receiving member of said portable electronic device adapted to be integrated in said housing, said receiving member comprising two mobile bars opposite to each other in a main direction and between which is intended to be arranged said apparatus portable electronic device according to at least one of its length or width dimensions, said two mobile strips being adapted to be spaced apart or brought closer to each other along said main direction in order to adjust the spacing between said two mobile bars according to said main direction according to said dimension of said electronic device portat if in said main direction and being urged towards each other by thrust springs so as to be held in contact with said portable electronic device.

Thanks to this arrangement, the holding device allows effective maintenance while adapting to the two dimensions in length and width of the electronic device, so that it is possible to use the same device for holding devices. portable electronics so the forms differ in these two dimensions.

Advantageously, said two mobile bars are slidably mounted in at least one guide rail for moving said mobile bars with respect to said main direction.

Advantageously, said mobile bars are pivotally mounted on said at least one guide rail along an axis perpendicular to said main direction, between a folded position in which the longitudinal edges of said movable bars are aligned along said main direction and an extended position in which the longitudinal edges of said movable bars are arranged perpendicularly to said main direction.

According to one embodiment, said at least one rail for guiding the displacement of said two mobile bars is formed along said main direction in said dashboard wall.

Advantageously, according to this embodiment, in said folded position, said mobile bars are completely integrated in the space of said housing of said dashboard wall.

According to another embodiment, said at least one rail for guiding the displacement of said two mobile bars is formed on a support member retractably mounted on said dashboard wall through said housing between a first retracted position where said member support is retracted into said housing and a second operating position wherein said support member protrudes from said housing.

Advantageously, said support member is adapted to move from said retracted position to said operating position by means of a push mechanism comprising a spring arranged behind said support member in said housing, associated with suitable attachment means to exert a disengageable spring retainer in the axial direction from said retracted position to said operating position of said support member.

Preferably, said movable bars comprise a weakening zone adapted to allow said mobile webs to collapse towards said dashboard wall under the action of a force exerted on them in the direction of said dashboard wall.

In a variant, said movable bars comprise a first portion in connection with said guide rail and a second portion pivotally mounted on said first portion along an axis parallel to said main direction, so as to allow a pivoting of said second portion towards said dashboard wall under the action of a force exerted on it in the direction of said dashboard wall.

Advantageously, said movable bars have a U-shaped cross section, one of the wings of the U comprises a lug movable in the main direction, said movable lug being biased in contact with said portable electronic device by a spring and an inner edge of said lug mobile forms a concave bevel allowing it to adapt to said portable electronic device, especially its thickness. The invention also relates to a dashboard, especially for a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a holding device as described above. Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description which is given below, for information only and in no way limitative, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating implanting the holding device of the invention; - Figures 2 to 5 are schematic perspective views illustrating the kinematics of a first embodiment of a holding device according to the invention; FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic sectional views of the device illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 5, respectively in a first so-called retracted position, in which the device is not in operation, and a second so-called deployed position, in which the device is in function; - Figures 8 and 9 are schematic perspective and sectional views illustrating two embodiments of the mobile bars; FIGS. 10 to 13 are diagrammatic perspective views illustrating the kinematics of a second embodiment of a holding device according to the invention; FIG. 14 is a cross-section of the holding device according to section A-A of FIG. 13.

The holding device according to the invention is intended to be arranged on a dashboard of a motor vehicle, and is adapted to receive and removably hold a portable electronic device that can have various dimensions in the passenger compartment of a vehicle. motor vehicle.

As shown in Figure 5, illustrating a portable electronic device 1 in the holding configuration by the holding device 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention, such an apparatus 1 generally has a parallelepiped shape. The apparatus 1 thus has two large faces opposed to each other, respectively a front face 2 and a back face 3, typically rectangular, connected by a thin wafer, delimiting the edges of the apparatus and, more precisely, according to the example of the holding configuration illustrated in FIG. 5, an upper edge 4 and a lower edge 5, parallel to one another, corresponding to the long side of said faces, or defining the length dimension of the apparatus, and two side edges 6, parallel to each other, corresponding to the short side of said faces, or defining the width dimension of the apparatus. Of course, another holding configuration is possible in which the upper and lower edges of the apparatus 1 held in the holding device 10 correspond to the short side of said faces, and the lateral edges correspond to the long side of said faces.

Figure 1 illustrates the implementation, at the dashboard of the vehicle, the holding device 10 in the rest configuration. The dashboard 11 of the vehicle corresponds to a surface extending above the feet of the driver and the front passenger over substantially the entire width of the vehicle. The holding device 10 of the invention is intended to be implanted in front of said dashboard 11, substantially above the feet of the front passenger.

As can be seen more specifically in FIGS. 6 and 7, the implantation zone of the holding device 10 according to the first embodiment comprises a dashboard wall 13, in which at least one housing 14 intended to receive is formed. a receiving member of the portable electronic device 1.

Referring to Figure 5, which illustrates the holding device 10 in the use configuration according to the first embodiment of the invention, the receiving member of the portable electronic device 1 comprises two mobile bars 15a and 15b, opposed to one another in a main direction, and whose longitudinal edges extend perpendicularly to said main direction. As will be seen in more detail later, the two mobile bars are also adapted to take a position in which their longitudinal edge are aligned in the main direction, corresponding to the rest configuration of the holding device. In the configuration of use, the portable electronic device 1 is intended to be disposed between these two mobile bars 15a, 15b according to one or other of its dimensions of length or width. The main direction then corresponds to either the length dimension of said faces of the apparatus, or to the width dimension of said faces, according to the configuration of maintaining the apparatus chosen by the front passenger.

According to the example of Figure 5, the apparatus 1 is disposed between the two mobile bars 15a and 15b along its length dimension. The mobile bars 15a and 15b are freely movable in a plane parallel to the main direction, so that they can be moved away from or close to each other in the main direction and thus be able to adjust the spacing between them along this main direction depending on the length dimension (or width) of the portable electronic device 1 disposed between them. To do this, the two mobile bars 15a and 15b are slidably mounted in at least one guide rail, and preferably a guide rail 16a, 16b for each mobile bar 15a, 15b, to guide the movement thereof relative to to said main direction.

The two movable bars 15a and 15b freely moving in the guide rails 16a, 16b are further biased towards each other by thrust springs (not shown) arranged in the guide rails 16a, 16b, so that they can be kept in contact with the apparatus 1 when the latter is arranged between them. More precisely, the mobile bars 15a and 15b bear against the lateral edges 6 of the apparatus 1 under the action of the thrust springs, when the apparatus 1 is arranged between them. Thus, these push springs, constantly urging each mobile bar 15a, 15b towards each other in the main direction, constitute an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the spacing between the longitudinal edges of the mobile bars 15a, 15b to the dimension of length (or width) of the device 1. These springs exert a predetermined thrust on the mobile bars. For this purpose, they have appropriate characteristics. It is also possible to provide means for adjusting the thrust exerted by the springs by means of a set screw.

According to the first embodiment, the guide rails 16a, 16b of the displacement of the mobile bars 15a, 15b are arranged on a support member 17, mounted in a retractable manner on the dashboard wall 13 through the housing 14, as it is illustrated in more detail with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7.

Furthermore, the mobile bars 15a and 15b are pivotally mounted at a first end of their respective guide rail 16a, 16b along an axis perpendicular to the main direction, so as to be able to take a position, called rest position, in which the edges longitudinal axes of the two mobile bars are aligned in the main direction, corresponding to a position where the mobile bars are completely folded in their respective guide rail (Figure 6). The mobile bars 15a and 15b can be released from this rest position, where they are folded in their respective guide rail, to come to take an extended position, in which the longitudinal edges of the mobile bars are arranged perpendicularly to the main direction, either extend vertically from the respective guide rails (Figure 7). In this deployed position, the mobile bars are arranged to receive and hold the portable device 1 as illustrated in FIG.

Referring to Figure 6, the support member 17 on which are arranged the guide rails 16a, 16b of the mobile bars 15a and 15b, is arranged to occupy a first position, said retracted position, wherein the support member 17 is completely retracted into the housing 14. In the retracted position of the support member 17, the mobile bars 15a, 15b are then arranged in their rest position, so that the support member assembly 17 and mobile bars 15a, 15b can be stored in the housing 14. With reference to FIG. 7, the support member 17 is adapted to occupy a second position, called the output or operating position, corresponding to the use configuration illustrated in FIG. 5, wherein the support member 17 projects from the housing 14, so as to be disposed overhanging with respect to the dashboard wall. In this operating position, the mobile bars 15a, 15b are then arranged in their deployed position. The support member 17 is adapted to move from the retracted position to the operating position and vice versa by means of a push mechanism, also called "push-pull" type. This mechanism comprises a spring 18 arranged behind the support member 17 in the housing 14, which urges the support member 17 towards the outside of the housing in a direction perpendicular to the main direction, associated with means of support. hooking capable of exerting a disengageable retention of the spring in the axial direction from the retracted position to the operating position of the support member 17. This mechanism is actuated via the front face of the support member 17 , allowing to exert traction on the push mechanism and, thereby, to move the support member from one to the other of said positions.

We will now describe in more detail the operating kinematics of the holding device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates the holding device 10 with the support member 17 in the retracted position as described in FIG. 6. Thus, in this position, the device 10 is hidden in the housing and the front face of the device member. support 17 is substantially in the extension of the dashboard wall. As explained above, a pressure exerted on the front face of the support member 17 activates the push mechanism adapted to move the support member 17 from the retracted position (Figure 2) to the operating position (Figure 3) through the spring 18. Once released from the housing 14, the movable bars 15a, 15b pivot freely at the first end of their respective guide rail and thus go from their folded position in their rail. respective guide 16a, 16b to their deployed position where they extend vertically.

As shown in FIG. 4, once deployed, the mobile bars 15a, 15b move automatically from the first end of their respective guide rail towards the second end under the effect of the thrust springs arranged in the guide rails and are thus brought substantially towards the center of the holding device 10.

Then, with reference to FIG. 5, the user is led to move a mobile bar, for example 15a, from the second end towards the first end of its respective guide rail 16a, while the other mobile bar 15b symmetrically, so as to have the portable electronic device 1 between them. Once the desired spacing has been obtained, adapted to the length dimension of the apparatus according to the example of FIG. 5, but which could equally well be to be adapted to its width dimension, the user releases the mobile bar 15a. The two mobile bars 15a and 15b then come to hold the apparatus 1 in place by exerting pressure against its lateral edges under the action of the thrust springs, as explained above, while the apparatus 1 rests by its lower edge 5 on the support member 17.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a variant of the first embodiment which has just been described, to ensure the safety of the system vis-à-vis the triggering of a passenger airbag 19 (passenger airbag) , in particular when this safety cushion 19 is implanted in the lower zone of the dashboard, under the implantation zone of the holding device 10. Indeed, when the safety cushion 19 inflates in the event of a collision, it comes interpose between the front passenger of the vehicle and the holding device 10. Also, as shown in Figure 8, the mobile bars 15a, 15b comprise in the lower part and, more precisely, at the part of the emerging mobile bar. of the guide rail, an attenuation zone 20 designed to allow a slump of the mobile bar towards the dashboard under the action of a force exerted against it, in particular under the action of the force exerted by the deployment of the airbag.

As a variant, with reference to FIG. 9, each mobile bar is made in two parts, a first part 150 arranged in the guide rail and a second part 151, respectively, intended to bear against the side edges of the appliance 1 , and which is pivotally mounted with respect to the first portion 150 along an axis parallel to the main direction, so as to allow pivoting of the second portion 151 about its axis towards the dashboard under the action of the effort exerted against it by the deployment of the safety cushion. Advantageously, the second portion 151 is pivotally mounted on the first portion 150 mounted in the rail via a disengageable system under the action of the force exerted by the safety cushion, for example a cam-shaped system heart 152.

In Figure 13, there is shown the holding device in the use configuration according to a second embodiment of the invention. In this figure, with the index "prime", the same references as in FIG. 5 have been used to denote analogous parts or those playing the same role as in the first embodiment just described. According to this second embodiment, the guide rails 16'a and 16'b, in which the moving bars 15'a and 15'b respectively disposed opposite each other in the main direction, are respectively formed. along this main direction directly in the dashboard wall 13 'and no longer on a support member mounted retractably on the dashboard wall as for the first embodiment.

As for the first embodiment, the mobile bars 15'a, 15'b are pivotally mounted on their respective guide rails 16'a, 16'b between a folded position (FIG. 10), in which they are aligned according to the main direction and an extended position (Figure 13), in which they extend perpendicular to the main direction. In addition, the mobile bars 15'a, 15'b are configured so that, in their folded position as illustrated in FIG. 10, they are completely integrated in the bulk of the housing 14 'formed in the wall dashboard 13 'and form a continuity thereof. The mobile bars 15'a, 15'b can also be locked in a releasable manner in their folded position by means of a locking device.

The operating kinematics of the holding device according to the second embodiment will now be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 10-13. FIG. 10 illustrates the holding device 10 'in the unused position, in which the two mobile bars 15'a and 15' are locked in their folded position. For example, an action exerted by the user on a push button makes it possible to trigger the unlocking of the mobile bars 15'a, 15'b, able to move them from their folded position in the housing (FIG. deployed position (Figures 11 and 12). Thus, once unlocked, the mobile bars 15'a, 15'b freely pivot and move from their folded position to their deployed position where they extend vertically.

As shown in FIG. 12, once deployed, the mobile bars 15'a, 15'b are juxtaposed substantially in the center of the holding device 10 'under the action of the thrust springs arranged in the guide rails 16'a , 16'b. Then, with reference to FIG. 13, the user is led to move a mobile bar, for example 15'a, while the other mobile bar 15'b deviates symmetrically, so as to arrange between them portable electronic device 1. Once the desired distance obtained, adapted to the length dimension of the apparatus according to the example of FIG. 13, but which could equally well be adapted to its width dimension, the user release the mobile bar 15'a. The two mobile bars 15'a and 15'b then come to hold the apparatus 1 in place by exerting a pressure against its lateral edges under the action of the pushing springs, while the apparatus 1 rests by its lower edge 5 on a lower surface of the housing 14 '.

As it appears in FIG. 14, which is a cross-section of the holding device according to section AA, the mobile bars 15'a, 15'b have a U-shaped cross-section. Thus, the electronic device can be arranged. portable 1 with its side edges 6 inserted between the wings of the U. One of the wings of the U, in particular the area disposed at the rear of the holding device, comprises a movable pin 22 in the main direction, said movable pin 22 being urged in contact with the portable electronic device 1 by a spring 23 and an inner edge 22a of the movable pin form a concave bevel to adapt to the portable device 1, including its thickness. Such a configuration of the mobile bars could also apply to the first embodiment.

Claims (11)

1. Device (10, 10 ') for holding a portable electronic device (1) intended to be integrated into a dashboard (11) of a motor vehicle, comprising a dashboard wall (13, 13') ) comprising a housing (14, 14 ') formed in said dashboard wall and a receiving member of said portable electronic device adapted to be integrated in said housing, said receiving member comprising two mobile bars (15a, 15b, 15' a, 15'b) opposite one another in a main direction and between which is intended to be disposed said portable electronic device (1) along at least one of its length or width dimensions, said two mobile bars (15a, 15b, 15'a, 15'b) being adapted to be moved away from or closer to each other along said main direction in order to adjust the spacing between said two mobile bars according to said main direction in an unction of said dimension of said portable electronic device (1) in said main direction and being urged towards each other by thrust springs so as to be held in contact with said portable electronic device. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the said two mobile bars (15a, 15b, 15'a, 15'b) are slidably mounted in at least one guide rail (16a, 16b, 16'a, 16). b) moving said mobile bars relative to said main direction. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said movable bars (15a, 15b, 15'a, 15'b) are pivotally mounted on said at least one guide rail (16a, 16b, 16'a, 16 ' b) along an axis perpendicular to said main direction, between a folded position in which the longitudinal edges of said movable bars are aligned in said main direction and an extended position in which the longitudinal edges of said movable bars are disposed perpendicular to said main direction. 4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said at least one guide rail (16'a, 16'b) of displacement of said two mobile bars (15'a, 15'b) is formed along said main direction in said dashboard wall. 5. Device according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that in said folded position, said movable bars (15'a, 15'b) are completely integrated in the space of said housing (14 ') of said board wall on board. 6. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said at least one guide rail (16a, 16b) of the displacement of said two mobile bars is formed on a support member (17) retractably mounted on said wall of dashboard (13) through said housing (14) between a first retracted position where said support member (17) is retracted into said housing (14) and a second operating position where said support member (17) comes into protruding from said housing (14). 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said support member (17) is adapted to move from said retracted position to said operating position by means of a push mechanism comprising a spring (18) arranged rearwardly. said support member (17) in said housing, associated with hooking means adapted to exert a disengageable retention of the spring in the axial direction from said retracted position to said operating position of said support member. 8. Device according to any one of claims 6 to 7, characterized in that said movable bars (15a, 15b) comprise a weakening zone (20) adapted to allow a subsidence of said movable bars in the direction of said board wall edge (13) under the action of a force exerted on them in the direction of said dashboard wall. 9. Device according to any one of claims 6 to 7, characterized in that said movable bars comprise a first portion (150) in association with said guide rail (16a, 16b) and a second portion (151) pivotally mounted on said first portion (150) along an axis parallel to said main direction, so as to allow pivoting of said second portion (151) towards said fascia wall under the action of a force exerted on it in the direction of said dashboard wall. 10. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said movable bars (15a, 15b, 15'a, 15'b) have a U-shaped cross section, one of the wings of the U comprising a movable pin (22) in the main direction, said movable pin (22) being biased in contact with said portable electronic device (1) by a spring (23) and an inner edge (22a) of said movable pin (22) forming a concave bevel allowing it to adapt to said portable electronic device (1), in particular to its thickness. 11. Dashboard, especially for a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a holding device (10, 10 ') according to any one of the preceding claims.