GB2407448A

GB2407448A - Dashboard-mounted radiotelephone or data storage device holder

Info

Publication number: GB2407448A
Application number: GB0423355A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Cromarty
Original assignee: Nissan Technical Centre Europe Ltd
Current assignee: Nissan Technical Centre Europe Ltd
Priority date: 2003-10-24
Filing date: 2004-10-21
Publication date: 2005-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 2024-10-21
Also published as: GB0423355D0; WO2005042311A1; GB2407448B; GB0324924D0; EP1682383A1

Abstract

A holder for mounting in the dash-board of a vehicle comprises a holder housing 10 and a carriage assembly including a tray (44, fig 3) adapted for supporting a data storage device such as a mobile telephone, a USB drive or the like. The carriage assembly is mounted for movement within the holder housing between a first, outermost position in which the data storage device partially protrudes from the front surface of the vehicle dashboard and a second, innermost position in which the data storage device is substantially recessed within the dashboard. Movement of the carriage may be manually initiated with a "push-push" mechanism, or it may automatically initiated in response to a signal indicative of vehicle condition e.g. door opening, etc.

Description

HOLDER FOR USE IN A VEHICLE

The invention relates to a holder for use in a vehicle and, in particular, to a dashboard-mounted holder for a mobile telephone or other data storage device.

It is known to provide vehicles with a telephone handset ('in-car' telephones), which is removably mounted in a telephone holder or support frame so as to enable a vehicle user to use the telephone in a conventional hand-held manner, if desired, but also to allow the telephone to be used in-situ through appropriate lo telephone speaker and amplification means. The in-car telephone is usually connectable with a vehicle mounted antenna to aid telephone reception and also with a battery source in the vehicle to enable charging of the handset.

In-car telephones are commonly mounted between the front driver and passenger Is seats, adjacent to the vehicle hand-brake, in a specially designed holder which supports the handset in a generally upright manner. Alternatively, the telephone handset may be supported in a horizontal fashion. The telephone occupies an undesirable amount of space in the vehicle cabin, and usually in a prominent location, and accessibility can be inconvenient due to the proximity to the so handbrake. Furthermore, for some in-car telephone systems the telephone handset is clearly visible to anyone outside the vehicle which, when the vehicle is left unattended, presents a crime risk.

Dashboard holders for in-car telephones are also known. Such holders often stand Is proud of the dashboard, usually detracting from the style of the dashboard, and support the telephone handset in an upright manner. Dashboard mounted telephone holders also suffer from the aforementioned disadvantages.

In addition to the aforementioned disadvantages, as the use of mobile telephones becomes increasingly widespread the lack of compatibility between existing in- car telephone holders, which are designed specifically for in-car telephone handsets, and mobile telephone handsets means that a vehicle user is often s required to have two separate telephones for separate occasions.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a holder for use in a vehicle which addresses the aforementioned disadvantages.

to According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a holder for mounting in the dash-board of a vehicle, including a holder housing and a carriage assembly including a tray adapted for supporting a data storage device, the carriage assembly being mounted for movement within the holder housing in an axial direction between a first, outermost position and a second, innermost Is position.

The tray may be interchangeable, for example being detachably mounted to the carriage assembly so as to permit interchange between trays of different type.

no The first, outermost position may constitute an open holder position and the second, innermost position may constitute a closed holder position.

In one embodiment, the holder may be adapted for use with a mobile telephone having a SIM card storing user data (e.g. a unique telephone number, personal as contact numbers). Alternatively, the holder may be adapted for use with a data storage device in the form of a USE data storage device (sometimes called a USE drive', 'keychain drive' or 'memory stick').

When in the holder open position, the data storage means may be removed or inserted into the carriage assembly, which is then movable into the holder closed position in which the mobile telephone is situated at least partially, and preferably fully, behind the facie of the vehicle dashboard. Preferably, the interchangeable tray is configured so that the mobile telephone is, effectively, hidden from view behind the vehicle dashboard when the holder closed position is adopted (other than when someone looks directly into the opening in the dashboard surface).

The tray may be mounted on the carriage assembly so that, as the carriage assembly moves into and out of the holder housing, the tray moves from an outer position (corresponding to the holder open position) in which its front end is downwardly inclined, to an inner position (corresponding to the holder closed position) in which the tray is substantially horizontal (i.e. lies flat). For example, the tray may be provided with first and second guide pins for co-operation with respective first and second slots provided in the holder housing, wherein the slots are shaped so that as the carriage assembly moves into and out of the holder housing, the tray moves from its downwardly inclined position to its substantially zo horizontal position.

The data storage device may be supported on the interchangeable tray so as to be substantially horizontal (i.e. laid flat) when in the holder closed position. For example, if the data storage device is a mobile telephone, the telephone is placed as on the tray so that its reverse side to the telephone keypad lies on the horizontal supporting surface of the tray.

As the mobile telephone lies flat within the holder, the opening in the holder for receiving the telephone, and thus the opening in the front surface of the dashboard, need only be of relatively small cross sectional area. The present invention therefore differs from existing in- car telephone systems where the s handset is often partially upright and/or is located between the driver and passenger front seats so that it occupies an undesirable and prominent space in the vehicle cabin. A further advantage is provided by the invention in that, effectively, the mobile telephone is hidden from view when the holder closed position is adopted, so that the crime risk is reduced for a vehicle user who lo wishes to leave a mobile telephone in the vehicle when it is vacated.

In one embodiment the holder may include holder connection means for cooperation with a connection means (e.g. a female connector) on the data storage device when it is mounted within the tray. The holder connection means may Is provide a charging connection.

In one embodiment, the carriage assembly may be provided with a first connector (e.g. a male connector) which is co-operable with a second connector (e.g. a female connector) on a base end of the data storage device. In this case the male no connector on the carriage assembly connects with the female connector on the data storage device when it is inserted/placed on the tray.

In one embodiment the holder connection means is co-operable with the data storage device connection means only in circumstances in which the carriage as assembly adopts the holder closed position. For example, the tray may be provided with a first connector (e.g. a male connector) and may be movable between a first position in which the first connector cooperates with a second connector (e.g. a female connector) on the data storage device, and a second position in which said co-operation is broken.

In particular, the holder connection means may include a first (e.g. male) s charging connector for co-operation with a second (e.g. female) charging connector on the mobile telephone, and/or the holder connection means may include an antenna connector for co-operation with an antenna connector on the mobile telephone. As the tray is interchangeable, if a user changes his or her mobile telephone from a type in which the charging and antenna connection lo points are at its base end, for one in which one or more of the connection points are on the reverse side to the telephone keypad, the holder can be adapted simply by changing the tray type.

Additionally, or alternatively, the holder may include a data connection means to Is enable data transfer between the data storage device and an in-vehicle computer (i.e. providing a data transfer or download connection).

In one embodiment the holder connection means connects physically with the tray mounted telephone, but alternatively charging and/or data connection may be so enabled through a proximity connection, for example if the tray includes or takes the form of an inductive device, such as an inductive charging device or a universal wireless charging platform.

For a so-called blue-tooth mobile telephone, for example, a data connection as means may be used which does not require a male-female type connector arrangement, and instead a proximity data connection means may be used.

In particular, if the holder is adapted for holding a USB data storage device, it may be provided with a data connection means for providing a data transfer (or data download) connection between the USB data storage device and a computer associated with the vehicle. The data connection means enables pre-stored s personal user data to be provided to the vehicle computer, in use.

The holder preferably also includes a damper means, preferably in the form of a rotatable toothed disc which is co-operable with a toothed slot on the holder housing, for damping movement of the carriage assembly as it moves relative to lo the holder housing.

In one embodiment the holder includes a push-push device arranged to permit movement of the carriage assembly from the holder open position to the holder closed position when in an unlatched state but to prevent movement of the Is carriage assembly between the holder closed position and the holder open position when in a latched state.

The carriage assembly is preferably biased towards the holder open position by means of a spring force. Opening movement of the carriage assembly may be ho effected by applying a pushing force to the carriage assembly to unlatch the push- push device.

Alternatively the holder may include an actuator for the push-push device for effecting opening movement of the carriage assembly. This provides the Is advantage that the carriage assembly may be actuated to move into the holder open position in response to a control signal indicative of a vehicle condition, for example key-off or vehicle door opening.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an interchangeable tray for use in the holder as set out in the accompanying claims.

s The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a part of a data storage device holder for mounting in a vehicle dashboard, in which the dashboard is not shown, Figure 2 is a perspective view to show the holder in Figure 1 when mounted behind a part of the vehicle dashboard, Figure 3 is an exploded view of the holder in Figures 1 and 2, in which the Is vehicle dashboard is not shown, Figure 4 is a top plan view of the holder in Figures 1 to 3, again in which the vehicle dashboard is not shown, no Figure 5 is a section view, along line X-X, of the holder shown in Figure 4, Figure 6 is a front end view of the holder shown in Figures 1 to 5, Figure 7 is a side view of the holder shown in Figure 6, Figure 8 is a schematic side view to one type of electrical connection means for the holder of Figures 1 to 7, and Figure 9 is a schematic side view of one type of antenna connection means for use on the holder of Figures 1 to 8.

s Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a holder, referred to generally as 10, which is suitable for mounting within the dashboard 18 of a vehicle (i.e. behind the dashboard front surface 27) to hold a data storage device 16. Only a portion of the vehicle dashboard 18 is represented in Figure 2, and this typically forms a part of the vehicle instrument panel i.e. item 18 is a representation of dashboard lo location features necessary for mounting of the holder 10. The holder 10 includes a holder housing having a main holder body 12 which defines an internal holder chamber 14 for receiving the data storage device 16, in use. The main holder body 12 is provided with dips 20 which extend from an upper surface of the holder body 12 to be received within eyelets 22 provided on a surface of the Is dashboard 18 so that the holder 10 is securely fixed thereto.

The dashboard 18 defines an opening 26 at its front surface 27. A rear end of the opening 26 aligns with a further opening 24 defined by the internal chamber 14 so that the data storage device 16 can be inserted into and removed from the no holder 10 through the dashboard opening 26. The opening 26 in the dashboard 18 is of relatively small cross sectional area and, thus, forms a discrete part of the dashboard 18.

In one embodiment of the invention, the holder 10 is intended to receive a data as storage device in the form of a mobile telephone 16, but equally the data storage device may be a multi-media type device, such as a USB data storage device (e.g. a so-called 'USB drive' or 'keychain drive'), as will be described in further detail below.

Referring also to Figures 3 to 7, and as can be seen most clearly in Figure 3, the s holder body 12 includes an upper case 28 of generally Ushaped cross section having an upper body panel 30, first and second downwardly-depending side panels 32 and a rear body panel 34 (visible only in Figure 5). A lower body panel 36 is attached to the side body panels 32 via appropriate fixing means including a plurality of hooks 38 projecting outwardly from the side panels 32 to co-operate lo with respective ones of a plurality of eyelets 40 on the outer periphery of the lower body panel 36.

A carriage assembly 42 is mounted within the main body holder 12, including a detachable carrier member in the form of an interchangeable tray 44. The carriage Is assembly 42 has a carriage roof 48, a rear carriage panel 49 (visible in Figure 5) and first and second downwardly depending carriage side panels 50, each shaped at its lower end to define three feet. The tray 44 has first and second mounting pins 52 (only one of which is shown), which extend laterally from the tray 44 and locate within corresponding openings 54 provided in the side walls of the so carriage assembly 42 so that the tray 44 is fully supported. The tray 44 is mounted on the carriage assembly 42 so that when the telephone 16 is mounted in the tray 44 in the holder closed position, the tray 44 takes up a horizontal position (i.e. the tray 44 lies flat), with its reverse side to the telephone keypad resting upon the supporting surface of the tray 44. The carriage roof 48 is provided with a foam or Is other soft-padding material on its underside 51 (identified in Figure 3) so that, when the telephone 16 is held within the internal chamber 14, the front keypad of the telephone 16 is protected by the foam. The provision of the foam also serves to prevent looseness or rattle of the telephone 16 when it is mounted within the holder 10.

It is one particular benefit of the holder 10 that the tray 44 is detachably mounted s on the carriage assembly 42. The tray 44 can thus be changed depending on the type of mobile telephone 16 that it is required to hold. It is envisaged, for example, that a vehicle manufacturer may provide the vehicle with a holder 10 that is fitted with an appropriately shaped tray 44 for the intended first user of the vehicle (i.e. a tray 44 is provided to suit the vehicle user's mobile telephone). If lo the vehicle user changes his or her telephone, or if the vehicle is sold to another user with a different type of telephone, the holder 10 can be adapted in a convenient manner by changing the tray 44. The tray 44 may therefore be purchased as an in-car accessory to be fitted, for example, by the vehicle user or a vehicle servicer.

It is a further benefit that as the telephone is arranged to be supported in a horizontal manner when mounted in the holder 10, the holder 10 takes up only a limited depth of space behind the vehicle dashboard and, further, the opening 26 of the holder 10 need only have a relatively small cross sectional area to permit insertion of the telephone 'base end first'.

The feet of the carriage assembly 42 rest upon, and are able to slide relative to, the surface of the holder base panel 36. A spring means (not visible) is located between the rear panel 34 of the holder body 12 and the rear end of the carriage as assembly 42 to bias the carriage assembly 42 outwardly from the internal chamber 14 of the holder body 12. The carriage roof 48 is of reduced length relative to the holder housing 12, 18 so that, when the carriage assembly 42 is at its outermost position, it is contained within the holder housing 12 and the tray 44 rests just under-flush with the opening 26 in the front surface 27 of the dashboard 18, ready to receive the telephone 16 (i.e. the tray 44 is just behind the dashboard surface 27).

The carriage assembly 42 is thus mounted within the main holder body 12 so as to be movable between an outermost position (corresponding to an open position of the holder) and an innermost position (corresponding to a closed position of the holder). In Figures 1 and 2, the carriage assembly 42 is shown in the holder lo closed position in which the carriage assembly 42 is fully received within the holder chamber 14. When the carriage assembly 42 is in the holder closed position, the tray- mounted telephone 16 is thus substantially hidden from view behind the vehicle dashboard.

The tray 44 is provided with first and second guide pins 56, extending laterally from each side of the tray 44 to be received within respective first and second elongate slots or openings 58 provided in the first and second side walls 32 of the holder body 12. The slots 58 extend from part way along the length of the holder body 12 to open at the opening 24 of the holder body 12 at its front end. As can zo be seen most clearly in Figures 5 and 7, the slots 58 are identical to one another and include a relatively level section 60 towards the front end of the holder body 12, an upwardly sloping section 62 at a mid-region of the slot 58 and a level rear section 64.

as It is by virtue of the shaping of the slots 58 along which the guide pins 56 ride that, as the carriage assembly 42 moves from its outermost to its innermost position, the tray moves between an outer position in which its front end is at a first, reduced height, HI (relative to the lower body panel 36) and an inner position in which its front end is elevated to a second height, H2 (relative to the lower body panel 36). When the front end of the tray 44 is at the elevated height, H2, the tray 44 is substantially horizontal (i.e. lies approximately flat).

The upper side of the carriage roof 48 is provided with a projection 66 for sliding movement within a first elongate slot 69 provided in the upper panel 30 of the holder body 12. As can be seen most clearly in Figures 1 and 4, the roof 48 of the carriage member 46 is also provided with a damper 68 in the form of a rotatable lo toothed disc. The upper panel 30 of the holder body 12 is provided with a second elongate slot 70 having teeth 72 which co-operate with the teeth 74 on the damper disc 68. During movement of the carriage assembly 42 within the holder body 12, cooperation between the teeth 72 of the second slot 70 and the teeth 74 of the damper disc 68 serve to impart rotary motion to the damper 68 as it moves Is along the slot 70. Co-operation between the damper teeth 74 and the teeth 72 of the second slot 70 provide a frictional resistance to movement of the carriage assembly 42, relative to the holder body 12, and this gives a more pleasant feel of movement to the user as the tray 44 of the carriage assembly 42 is pushed.

so The holder 10 is also provided with a 'push-push' device, referred to generally as 76, including an angularly movable lever 78 for latched engagement with a corresponding latch part 80. Push-push type devices are generally well known, off-the-shelf' components and are so-called because of the 'push' force required to drive them into a latched state and the additional 'push' force in the same 2s direction that is required to unlatch them.

The lever 78 of the push-push device 76 is mounted upon the upper panel 30 of the holder body 12 and includes a downwardly-depending guide peg 82. The latch part 80 of the push-push device 76 forms an integral moulded part of the holder body 12 (as can be seen most clearly in Figure 3). In an alternative s embodiment, the latch part 80 may be a separate component from the holder body 12. The latch part 80 is shaped to define a guide path for guiding movement of the peg 82 as the carriage assembly 42 moves relative to the holder body 12. The guide path includes a retaining or latching portion within which the guide peg 82 becomes engaged to put the device into a latched state after the peg 82 has lo travailed so far along the guide path. It is the aforementioned additional 'push' force that is required to unlatch the guide peg 82 from the latch part 80, as will be described further below.

There now follows a description of how the carriage assembly 42 is moved Is between closed and opened positions to permit insertion and removal of the telephone 16, respectively, from the holder 10. Starting from the holder open position with the carriage assembly 42 biased outwardly from the holder body 12 under the force of the spring and the tray 44 projecting from the internal chamber 14, a user is able to place a mobile telephone 16 upon the exposed tray surface (or can remove a tray-mounted telephone from the tray 44). In order to insert the tray 44 into the chamber 14 of the holder body 12, the user must apply a pushing force to the tray-mounted telephone 16 so as to overcome the outwardly directed spring force acting on the carriage assembly 42. As the tray 44 is pushed into the holder body 12, the guide pins 56 on the tray 44 slide within their respective slots 2s 58.

During an initial stage of travel, the guide pins 56 ride along the level sections 60 of their slots 58 and the tray 44 is inclined relative to the telephone 16 so that a front end thereof is at a first height, H1, relative to the base panel 36 of the holder body 12 (as indicated in Figure 7). During a second stage of carriage travel each s guide pin 56 rides up the sloping section 62 of its respective slot 58 and eventually comes to rest at the top of the slope 62. During this stage of travel, the front end of the tray 44 moves upwardly, causing the tray 44 to adopt a substantially horizontal position in which it fully supports the telephone 16.

Having reached this rest position the front end of the tray 44 is at a second, lo elevated height, H2 (relative to the base panel 36) and the telephone 16 is fully received within the internal chamber 14. When fully received within the holder chamber 14 the telephone 16 is, effectively, hidden from view behind the front surface 27 of the dashboard 18.

During inward or closing movement of the carriage assembly 42, the lever 78 of the push-push device is caused to pivot laterally across the surface of the upper panel 30 as the guide peg 82 on the carriage assembly 42 follows the guide path of the latch part 80. Once the carriage assembly 42 has moved sufficiently far into the holder body 12 that the guide pins 56 on the tray 44 reach the top of the so sloping slot sections 62, the guide peg 82 becomes catchedly engaged within the retaining portion of the guide path. With the lever 78 and the latch part 80 in latched engagement no further movement of the carriage assembly 42 occurs as it is fixed relative to the holder body 12. This is the holder closed position.

as In order for the carriage assembly 42 to move outwardly from the holder body 12 into the holder open position, it is necessary to 'unlatch' the guide peg 80 from the latching portion of the guide path. This is achieved by applying an additional pushing force to the tray 44 (or to the tray-mounted telephone 16), and as a result the guide tooth 82 disengages from the latching portion of the guide path and the carriage assembly 42 is urged outwardly, or is ejected, from the holder body 12 under the opening spring force. In order to accommodate the additional inward s movement of the carriage assembly 42 that is required to unlatch the lever 78 from its latched state, the slots 58 for the guide pins 56 on the tray 44 are provided with the rear sections 64, as seen most clearly in Figures 5 and 7.

Referring to Figures 5 and 8 in particular, it is a further feature of the invention lo that the holder 10 may also be provided with a holder connection means, including an electrical connection means, to permit electrical connection between a female charging connection point on the base end of the mobile telephone 16 and a battery source of the vehicle. A male connector 86 is mounted on the rear panel 49 of the carriage assembly 42 to connect with a charging female connector is (not shown) on the mobile telephone 16 when it is inserted into the tray 44. The tray 44 is appropriately shaped so as to accommodate the telephone 16 in the correct position for its female connector to connect with the male connector 86 on the carriage assembly 42. The connector 86 on the rear panel 49 of the carriage member 46 is in connection with the battery through a flexible harness or So electrical wire 88, which extends through an opening in the rear panel 34 of the holder body 12 to connect with the battery. Thus, when the telephone 16 is mounted within the tray 44, its charging connector connects with the connector 86 on the carriage assembly 42 to enable charging of the telephone 16.

Is The carriage assembly 42 may also be provided with data connection means (not shown), which co-operates with a telephone-mounted data connector, in a similar manner to the charging connection, so as to enable data to be transferred or downloaded between the telephone and the vehicle computer system.

The carriage assembly 42 may also be provided with an antenna connection s means, including a male antenna connector (not shown) for co-operation with a female antenna connector provided on the telephone 16, usually at its base end.

The antenna connector on the carriage assembly 42 is connectable with the in-car antenna system through wiring which extends through an opening in the rear panel 34 of the holder body 12. As described previously, the antenna connector lo may be mounted on the rear panel 49 of the carriage assembly 42 so as to engage with a base-mounted female antenna connector on the telephone 16. When the carriage assembly 42 is fully inserted into the holder 10 (the holder closed position), the antenna connector on the carriage assembly 42 is brought into connection with the antenna connector on the telephone 16, much in the same Is way as the electrical connection is made. When the holder 10 is opened and the tray-mounted telephone 16 projects through the open front end of the holder body 12, the antenna connection is broken.

Depending on the type of telephone that is used, for example, any one or more of so the electrical, data/download and charging connection means may be provided on the holder.

An antenna connection arrangement of the aforementioned type is appropriate where the antenna connection point on the telephone 16 is situated at its base end.

Is However, for some mobile telephone types the antenna connector on the telephone 16 is on the rear face of the telephone 16 (i.e. the reverse side to the telephone keypad). Figure 9 shows an alternative embodiment which is suitable for use with mobile telephones which have an antenna connector on their rear face, rather than on their base end. The antenna connection means is provided on the tray 44 in the form of a male connector 92 and a flexible harness or connecting wire 188, which extends from the male connector 92 on the tray 44 through an opening in the rear panel 49 of the carriage assembly 42 to the in-car antenna system.

When the tray 44 is in its most forward position within the holder chamber 14, in which the telephone 16 projects through the opening 26 in the dashboard 18 (dashboard not shown in Figure 9), the free end of the tray 44 is inclined in a downwards direction with its front end at height H1, as determined by the slots 58. This is the position of the tray shown in Figure 9 and in this position the male connector 92 on the tray 44 is disengaged from the female connector 94 on the telephone 16. If the carriage assembly 42 is pushed into the holder 10 by pushing on the

telephone 16, the guide pins 56 ride upwards along the sloping sections 62 of the slots 58 (as shown in Figure 7, for example) so that the tray 44 takes up a generally horizontal alignment. As this happens the male connector 92 is brought No into connection with the female connector 94 on the rear side of the telephone 16, thereby establishing an antenna connection between the in-car antenna system and the telephone 16. When the holder is opened again and the tray 44 is urged outwardly from the holder body 12 under the opening spring force, the tray 44 returns to the position in which it is inclined in a downwards direction, thus as breaking the antenna connection between the male and female connectors 92, 94.

It will be appreciated that the antenna connection means of Figure 9 will differ from the antenna/charging connection means discussed with reference to Figure 8, in that the latter provides a connection for the telephone 16 as soon as the telephone is received within the tray 44. In contrast, in the Figure 9 embodiment s the antenna connection is not made until the tray- mounted telephone 16 has moved sufficiently far into the holder body 12 for the tray 44 to take up its horizontal position with the guide pins 56 at the top of their respective sloping slot sections 62. Therefore, in order to effect an antenna connection in the embodiment of Figure 9 it is necessary for the user to not only insert the lo telephone 16 into the tray 44 but also to push the tray-mounted telephone 16 to adopt the holder closed position.

It is also possible to adapt the tray 44 to provide an electrical connection means which connects with an electrical connector on the rear side of the telephone 16, is if appropriate.

If the holder is to be used with a 'blue-tooth' type mobile telephone, the data connections between the vehicle and the telephone need not provide a physical connection but a 'proximity' connection. In addition, or alternatively, the tray 44 so itself may take the form of an inductive charging pad, or universal wireless charging platform, which operates to charge a suitably equipped telephone 16 lying adjacent to it without the requirement for a physical connection between the parts.

as In another embodiment of the invention, the holder 10 may be provided with an actuator means for the push-push device 76. The actuator means preferably takes the form of an electromagnetic actuator having an energisable solenoid and an armature in connection with the carriage assembly 42. Typically, for example, the actuator may be located to the rear of the holder 10, such as in the space identified at X in Figures 2 and 4. The actuator is operable to attract the lever 78 of the push-push device 76 when a current is supplied through the solenoid. The s actuator may be responsive to one or more vehicle conditions so as to provide an automatic means of disabling the latch between the carriage assembly 42 and the holder body 12 so as to open the holder 10. By way of example, the current may be supplied to the actuator solenoid at key-off or when the vehicle door is opened after key-off. In such circumstances the user is not required to push the tray 44 in lo order to effect opening of the holder 10, and instead this happens automatically.

This could be beneficial where the ejection of the tray 44 from the holder 10 acts as a reminder for the user not to leave the telephone 16 in the vehicle when it is vacated. Control means of the vehicle, for example in-vehicle computer, provides a signal to indicate key-off (and/or another vehicle condition) and provides a Is control signal to initiate the actuation current in such circumstances.

In a further alternative embodiment of the invention (not shown), the holder 10 is adapted to receive a data storage device, such as a USE drive, which communicates with the in-car computer when it is mounted within the holder 10.

so The manner in which the carriage assembly 42 is moved to permit the data storage device to be moved into and out of the holder body 12 on the tray is essentially the same as described previously for the mobile telephone 16. In this embodiment, however, the holder 10 is provided with a data connection means in the form of a computer download connection means for co-operation with an Is external connection on the data storage device. The computer download connection means includes a USB port mounted on the carriage assembly 42 which is in permanent connection with the in-car computer so that the user is able to download information from the data storage device onto the in-car computer when the download connection is made. The download of data from the data storage device may be achieved through manipulation of an in-vehicle user interface, for example a key pad or a touch sensitive display, which may also be s provided on the vehicle dashboard. Current in-car computers often have an associated display screen, for example a liquid crystal display (LCD), for displaying information to the driver of the vehicle, such as temperature, mileage, and/or GPS satellite navigation data. The function of the display screen can be extended to enable the vehicle user to view or use personal data and/or file lo systems (for example electronic mailing and diary facilities or music files), which have been downloaded onto the in-car computer through the data storage device in the holder 10.

In another embodiment, the data storage device to be received within the holder Is 10 may be a device for storing personal data representative of predetermined vehicle settings selected by a vehicle user. Such information may include comfort settings for the vehicle driver, for example seat position, preferred cabin temperature and rear view mirror setting. When the vehicle driver first enters the vehicle, the data storage device is inserted into the holder 10 and a connection is so made between the data storage device and the in-car computer through the holder's download connection means engaging with the device connector. Data representative of the chosen personal settings of the vehicle user is then downloaded onto the vehicle computer which makes an appropriate adjustment to these settings, if necessary.

It will be appreciated that in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the holder 10 may be adaptable for use by either a mobile telephone 16 or another type of data storage device, such as a USE drive, by supplying the holder with interchangeable trays for both types of device, with suitable electrical and download connection means provided on the carriage assembly 42 for co- operation therewith.

Claims

1. A holder for mounting in the dashboard of a vehicle, the holder including: s a holder housing, and a carriage assembly induding a tray adapted for supporting a data storage device, the carriage assembly being mounted for movement within the holder housing in an axial direction between a first, outermost position and a second, innermost lo position.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tray is interchangeable, being detachably mounted to the carriage assembly so as to permit interchange between trays of different type.

3. A holder as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the data storage device is supportable on the interchangeable tray so as to be substantially horizontal when in the holder closed position.

no

4. The holder as claimed in claim 3, wherein the tray is provided with first and second guide pins for co-operation with respective first and second slots provided in the housing, wherein the slots are shaped so that, as the carriage assembly moves within the holder housing from the first position to the second position, the tray moves between an outermost position in which it is inclined as relative to the horizontal and an innermost position in which it lies substantially flat.

5. A holder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein, in use, in the first, outermost position, the data storage device extends partially from the housing and in the second, innermost position, the storage device is substantially fully recessed within the housing.

6. A holder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein, in use, in the first, outermost position, the data storage device protrudes beyond a front surface of the dashboard and in the second, innermost position, the storage device is substantially fully recessed within the dashboard and/or lies substantially flush lo therewith.

7. A holder as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, the holder including holder connection means for co-operation with a connection means on the data storage device when it is mounted within the tray.

8. The holder as claimed in claim 7, wherein the carriage assembly is provided with a first connector which is co-operable with a second connector on a base end of the data storage device.

so

9. The holder as claimed in claim 7, wherein the holder connection means is co-operable with the data storage device connection means only in circumstances in which the carriage assembly adopts the second position.

10. The holder as claimed in claim 9, wherein the tray is provided with a first as connector, the tray being movable between a first position in which it co-operates with a second connector on the data storage device and a second position in which said co-operation is broken.

11. The holder as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the interchangeable tray is adapted for supporting a mobile telephone.

s

12. The holder as claimed in claim 11, wherein the holder connection means includes a first charging connector for co-operation with a second charging connector on the mobile telephone.

13. The holder as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the holder lo connection means includes a first antenna connector for co-operation with a second antenna connector on the mobile telephone (16).

14. The holder as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the holder connection means connects physically with the mobile telephone when it is Is mounted in the tray.

15. The holder as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the holder connection means includes a data connection means for providing a data transfer connection between the mobile telephone and a computer associated with the vehicle.

16. The holder as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the interchangeable tray is adapted for supporting a USB data storage device.

2s

17. The holder as claimed in claim 14, wherein the holder connection means includes a data connection means for providing a data transfer connection between the USE data storage device and a computer associated with the vehicle.

18. The holder as claimed in claim 17, wherein the data connection means includes a USB port mounted on the carriage assembly for co-operation with a corresponding connector on the USB data storage device, thereby to enable data transfer between the USB data storage device and the vehicle computer.

19. The holder as claimed in claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the data connection means enables pre-stored personal user data to be transferred to the vehicle computer, in use.

20. The holder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a damper means for damping movement of the carriage assembly as it moves relative to the holder housing.

21. The holder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the holder includes a push-push device arranged to permit movement of the carriage assembly from the holder open position to the holder closed position when in an unlatched state but to prevent movement of the carriage assembly between the holder closed position and the holder open position when in a latched state.

22. The holder as claimed in claim 21, whereby the carriage assembly is biased towards the holder open position by means of a spring force.

23. The holder as claimed in claim 21 or claim 22, whereby opening 2s movement of the carriage assembly is effected by applying a pushing force to the carriage assembly to unlatch the push-push device.

24. The holder as claimed in claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the push-push device includes an actuator for effect opening movement of the carriage assembly.

s

25. The holder as claimed in claim 24, including control means for the actuator, wherein the control means is operable in response to a control signal indicative of a vehicle condition.

26. The holder as claimed in claim 25, wherein the control signal is generated lo to initiate the push-push device actuator at key-off or upon vehicle door opening.

27. A holder for mounting a data storage device in a dashboard of a vehicle, substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying Figures 1 to 8 and Figure 9.

28. An interchangeable tray for use in the holder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 24.