GB2519678A

GB2519678A - Accessory arrangement for a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2519678A
Application number: GB1419160.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chamjiv Bangar; William Allan; Kevin Gee
Original assignee: Daimler AG
Current assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Priority date: 2014-10-28
Filing date: 2014-10-28
Publication date: 2015-04-29
Also published as: GB201419160D0

Abstract

Accessory arrangement 10 for a vehicle 80 comprising an accessory housing 20 for fixing accessory to a holding component 82 of the vehicle and a housing component 24 of the accessory housing with a clamping element (30, Fig.1c) for removably connecting the accessory housing with the holding component. The clamping element comprises a rail clip (40) which partially surrounds a guide rail (90, Fig. 6a) of the holding component when the clamping element is in a locked position (70) in which the clamping element is engaged with the guide rail and in which the clamping element exerts a clamping force (FC2) upon the holding component. The clamping force may be made by spring means where the clamping element may slide along a slide rail (16, Fig.1c). The accessory housing may house electrical devices such as an MP3 player or mobile phone. Multiple accessory housings may be mounted on a rail and connect together.

Description

Accessory Arrangement for a Vehicle The invention relates to an accessory arrangement for a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such an accessory arrangement can be found in DE 31 39 203 Al. The accessory arrangement there comprises a cuboidal plastic housing for mounting a taximeter. The plastic housing there comprises elastic ledges and an elastic tongue by means of which the taximeter which is arranged within the plastic housing can be mounted in a vehicle without the need of fastening means such as screws or rivets. Said elastic components allow for both a safe fixation and a good thermal conductivity between the taximeter and the housing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an accessory arrangement of the afore-mentioned kind, by means of which accessory may be fixed to a vehicle in an especially safe manner.

This object is acieved by an accessory arrangement having the features of claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments with expedient developments of the invention are indicated in the other claims.

In order to provide an accessory arrangement of the kind indicated in the preamble of patent claim 1, which allows for an especially safe fixation of the accessory in the vehicle, according to the present invention the clamping element comprises a rail clip which partially surrounds a guide rail of the holding component when the clamping element is in a locked position in which the clamping element is engaged with the guide rail and in which the clamping element exerts a clamping force upon the holding component. In other words the rail clip comprises a contour which is complementary with the contour of the guide rail of the holding component. Due to the partially surrounding the rail clip locally encloses the guide rail and thus the degrees of freedom between the accessory housing and the holding component of the vehicle are limited which allows an especially safe fixation between the accessory housing and the holding component of the vehicle. The accessory housing comprises a mounting space in which accessory, like a MP3-Player, can be mounted within the accessory housing. In order to prevent a loosening of the accessory housing, the clamping element exerts the said clamping force upon the holding component. In other words in the locked position in which the clamping element is engaged with the guide rail, the accessory housing is engaged (clamped) with the holding component and fixed safely without the need of fastening members.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention derive from the following description of the preferred embodiment as well as from the drawing. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respective indicated combination but also in any other combinations or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.

The drawings show in: Fig. la-c an isometric view of an embodiment of an accessory housing; Fig. lb a front view of the accessory housing; Fig. lc a side view of the accessory housing; Fig. 2a a plan view of another housing component which is designed as a cover of the accessory housing; Fig. 2b a perspective view of the other housing component; Fig. 3a a plan view of a housing component, which is designed as a main body of the accessory housing; Fig. 3b a perspective view of the housing component; Fig. 4a a rear view of another clamping element which is designed as a moving face of the accessory housing; Fig. 4b a side view of the other clamping element; Fig. 5a a side view of a clamping element of the accessory housing; Fig. 5b a side view of the clamping element which comprises a rail clip; Fig. 6a-g different steps of an assembly operation which are conducted when mounting the accessory housing to a holding component of a vehicle; and in Fig. 7 a perspective view of an accessory arrangement in which several accessory housings are mounted to the holding component.

Fig. la. Fig. lb and Fig. lc each show different views of an accessory housing 20 which is designed as a cradle in which e.g. pluggable hardware, like a MP3-Player, can be mounted. The accessory housing 20 (cradle) allows to fix the pluggable hardware (accessory) in an especially secure manner in a vehicle which is not shown in Fig. 1 a to Fig. lc. Furthermore, the accessory housing 20 is especially aesthetically pleasing to customers. In other words, the accessory housing 20 provides an enclosure of modular hardware which corresponds to accessory which may be added to the equipment of a car by the user.

Fig. la to Fig. lc show that the accessory housing 20 consists of a main body which is designed as a housing component 24, a cover which is designed as another housing component 26, a clamping element 30 having a rail clip 40 and another clamping element which is designed as a moving face of the accessory housing 20.

Fig. lb shows a front view of the accessory housing 20 according to a viewing direction A which is marked with an arrow in Fig. la. Fig. lc shows a side view of the accessory housing 20 according to a viewing direction B which is also marked with an arrow in Fig. la. By viewing Fig. la, Fig. lb and Fig. ic in conjunction one can see that both the housing component 24 and the other housing component 26 have a round edge 28 wherein the other clamping element 50 (moving face) is aligned to both round edges 28 when all parts of the accessory housing 20 are assembled. The accessory housing 20 comprises a socket 94 which is formed by both the housing component 24 (main body) and the other housing component 26 (cover). The shape and the size of the socket 94 allows to stack several accessory housings 20 wherein the socket 94 is engaged with the other clamping element 50 in such a manner that the socket 94 is inserted into another accessory housing wherein the other clamping element 50 (moving face) is partially inserted into the inside of the accessory housing 20. The stacking of several accessory housings 20 is shown in Fig. 7 and is described later.

Fig. lb shows that the other clamping element 50 comprises a slot 54 which allows to connect modular hardware, like a MP3-Player, or other kinds of accessory to be connected e.g. with other modular hardware which is arranged in another accessory housing 20 or which allows to connect the modular hardware to the CAN-Bus of a vehicle 80, which is not shown in Fig. la to Fig. ic.

Fig. la. Fig. lb and Fig. lc show that the clamping element 30 which comprises the rail clip 40 is axially movable along slide rails 16 of the housing component 24 if a sufficient force F2, which is illustrated with a dashed arrow in Fig. 1 c, is exerted on the clamping element 30. The clamping element 30 is then pushed into the direction marked with the dashed arrow (F2) and spring elements 34 are compressed. In other words the clamping element 30 is then preloaded with a spring force by the spring elements 34. As well as the clamping element 30 also the other clamping element 50 may be decompressed by exerting a force Fl which is also marked with a dashed arrow in Fig. 1 a. In other words the other clamping element 50 (moving face) is then preloaded with spring force by other spring elements which are engaged with the other clamping element 50 wherein the other spring elements are not shown at present. In summary, the accessory housing 20 comprises both the clamping element 30 and the other clamping element 50 wherein both the clamping element 30 and the other clamping element 50 are preloaded by a respective spring force. The clamping element 30 and the other clamping element 50 are both guided movable in different directions. In other words and with respect to the illustrated embodiment, the direction of movements or the clamping element 30 is at least substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the other clamping element 50.

Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b each show different views of the other housing component 26 wherein other compression spring mounts 56 are illustrated. Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b each show different views of the other clamping element 50 which also comprises the other compression spring mounts 56. One end of the respective other spring elements which are not shown is engaged with one of the other compression spring mounts 56 of the other clamping element 50 and the other end (opposite end) of the other spring element is engaged with the other compression spring mount 56 of the other housing component 26 when the accessory housing 20 is assembled. In other words, in the assembled accessory housing 20 the other clamping element 50 is preloaded by two other spring elements. It is clear that the accessory housing 20 comprises a stopper (not shown in detail) by means of which the other clamping element 50 is positioned in a preloaded condition.

Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b each show different views of the housing component 24 which comprises a mounting space 18 in which accessory such as pluggable modular hardware, e.g. a MP3-Player, may be mounted. As well as the other housing component 26 also the housing component 24 comprises means for holding the two spring elements 34 shown in Fig. ic. This means are designed as respective rail clip compression spring mounts 36 wherein each of the rail clip compression spring mounts 36 is engaged with one end of the respective spring element 34. The other end of the respective spring element 34 is engaged with the rail clip compression spring mount 36 of the clamping element 30 as it is shown in Fig. 5a und Fig. Sb.

Fig. 6a to Fig. 6g each show respective steps of the mounting of the assembled accessory housing to a holding component 82 of the vehicle 80. The holding component 82 may be designed as part of the vehicle gloves box. The holding component 82 comprises a mounting rail 86 wherein a guide rail 90 is fixed to the mounting rail 86.

Furthermore, the mounting rail 86 comprises a holding rail 88 wherein the holding rail 88 and the guide rail 90 are located opposite each other. The holding rail 88 and the guide rail 90 enable a guided axial movement between the accessory housing 20 and the holding component 82.

In order to mount the accessory housing 20 to the holding component 82 of the vehicle 80 and thus to arrange the accessory housing 20 and the holding component 82 in an accessory arrangement 10 as it is shown in Fig. 7 the rail clip 40 of the clamping element is at first applied to the guide rail 90 and the whole accessory housing 20 is moved according to a direction 44 which is marked with an arrow. The accessory housing 20 is then in the position as it is shown in Fig. 6b wherein the spring elements 34 (not shown here) are compressed and the clamping element 30 is displaced compared to its position shown in Fig. 6a. The accessory housing 20 is then moved according to the direction 44 which is also marked with an arrow in Fig. Sc. During this movement the accessory housing 20 is pivoted around a contact zone between the rail clip 40 and the guide rail 90.

The accessory housing is pivoted until it is in a position shown in Fig. 6d.

In this position by means of the spring force of the preloaded spring elements 34 the accessory housing 20 is moved according to the direction 44 as it is shown in Fig. 6d until another clip 42 is applied to the holding rail 88. The other clip 42 and the rail clip 40 are arranged opposite each other and also have the same shape in this embodiment. In contrast to the rail clip 40 the other clip 42 is unmovable which means that the clip 42 is not moveable relative to the housing component 24. Fig. 6e shows the accessory housing when the clamping element 30 and thus the rail clip 40 is in a locked position 70 in which the clamping element 30 is engaged with the guide rail 90 and in which the clamping element 30 exerts a clamping force FC2 upon the holding component 82.

Furthermore, in this position the rail clip 40 partially surrounds the guide rail 90 and the other clip 42 partially surrounds the holding rail 88. Since the clamping element 30 is movable axially guided by means of the slide rail 16, the degrees of freedom of the clamping element 30 are restricted and thus the holding component 82 of the vehicle 80 and the accessory housing 20 are separable connected but still build an especially safe connection.

By means of the spring element 34 the clamping element 30 is movable between the locked position 70 and at least another position 72 in which the clamping element 30 is disengaged from the guide rail 90. One example for the other position 72 is shown in Fig. 6a in which the accessory housing 20 is not mounted to the holding component 82 yet.

In Fig. 6f and Fig. 6g the accessory housing 20 is mounted to the holding component 82 and thus the accessory housing 20 is axially movable along a guide rail 90 and the holding rail 88, respectively. In Fig. Sf the socket 94 of the accessory housing 20 and a plug socket 92 of the holding component 82 are disengaged and in Fig. 6g the socket 94 and the plug socket 92 are engaged and thus connected. The plug socket 92 provides electrical connectors by means of which hardware (accessory) which is mounted in the mounting space 18 of the accessory housing 20 can be connected to the CAN-Bus of the vehicle 80.

Fig. 7 shows that several accessory housings 20 are stackable in a row wherein by means of the other clamping element 50 another clamping force FC1 is exertable between the holding component 82 and the accessory housing 20. The other clamping force FC1 is directed axially along the guide rail 90. In other words, if the accessory housings 20 are arranged in such a manner in the accessory arrangement 10 that they are stacked together in a row as it is shown in Fig. 7 the other clamping force FC1 is used to keep the socket 94 and the plug socket 92 connected safely in order to prevent a loose connection between the socket 94 and the plug socket 92.

In summary, the invention provides for an enclosure design of modular hardware wherein the enclosure design is given by the accessory housing 20. The modular hardware corresponds to accessory such as e.g. a MP3-Player or a mobile phone station. By means of this accessory arrangement 10 the pluggable hardware may be prevented from detaching or releasing while the vehicle 80 is in motion. The mechanical system (the accessory housing 20) consists of a mounting bracket (the clamping element with the rail clip 40 and the other clip 42), a primary module housing (the housing component 24) and the other housing component 26 or individual module housings which may be different in shape compared to each other. The mounting bracket is designed specifically for each vehicle 80 and can be adapted to any area within the interior of the vehicle 80. The mounting bracket can also have a built in mounting rail and the primary module housing integrated. The primary module houses the electronic module (accessory like the MP3-Player) that has the interface between the vehicle 80 and the individual modules.

The individual modules consist of four different parts: The main body (housing component 24) is where the electronic module is mounted and is designed to be stackable with other modules. This also protects the electronics from the outside environment and also protects the electronics from e.g. the spring elements 34.

The rail clip 40 is designed as a sliding part of the clamping element 30 that is used to lock the module into the mounting rail 86. The clip locks into the main body and uses compression springs (the spring elements 34) to provide a variable distance to lock that face into the fixed distance of the mounting rail.

The moving face (the other clamping element 50) exposes the interface that connects to other individual modules or the primary module. It also acts as an aesthetic cover to hide the interface when it is not plugged in.

The cover (the other housing component 26) is used to clamp the electronics in place using screw in boss features. It also protects the electronics from the outside elements and contains the mounting feature for the moving face compression springs.

The full assembly of the individual module (accessory housing 20) is shown in Fig. 1 a.

The legal edge of the rail clip 40 of the individual module is pushed against the inner face of a guide rail 90 compressing the sliding face of the rail clip 40 and thus the clamping element 30 (Fig. 6a and Fig. Sb). The module's bottom face is then pushed up against the mounting rails flat surface (Fig. 6c). The user will then slowly release compression created by compressing the spring elements 34 which are engaged with the clamping element 30 and thus the rail clip 40, wherein the rail clip 40 then slides parallel to the rail mount (Fig. Sb). The module will then lock into the holding rail 88 and is then completely engaged with the mounting rail 86 (Fig. Be). The user can then slide the entire module towards the primary module locking the electronic interfaces into each other (Fig. 61 and Fig. 6g). The modules are then arranged in the accessory arrangement 10 in which they are stacked together as it is shown in Fig. 7.

A major advantage is that once the vehicle 80 has the cradle/dock (accessory housing 20) installed, then it can continue receiving updated CE device features throughout the lifetime of the vehicle 80 via new cartridge hardware (accessory), which may be enclosed in the accessory housing. For instance, if a new phone with a new hardware interface releases a year after the vehicle 80 with the cradle/dock interface (accessory housing 20), an OEM can develop a new cartridge hardware for the new device.

In summary the accessory housing 20 provides an enclosure design of modular hardware.

List of reference signs accessory arrangement 16 slide rail 18 mounting space accessory housing 24 housing component 26 another housing component 28 round edge clamping element 34 spring element 36 rail clip compression spring mount rail clip 42 another clip 44 direction another clamping element 54 slot 56 another compression spring mount locked position 72 another position vehicle 82 holding component 86 mounting rail 88 holding rail guide rail 92 plug socket 94 socket El force E2 force EC1 clamping force FC2 other clamping force

Claims

Claims An accessory arrangement (10) foravehicle (80), comprising an accessory housing (20) for fixing accessory to a holding component (82) of the vehicle (80) and a housing component (24) of the accessory housing (20) with a clamping element (30) for removable connecting the accessory housing (20) with the holding component (82), characterized in that the clamping element (30) comprises a rail clip (40) which partially surrounds a guide rail (90) of the holding component (82) when the clamping element (30) is in a locked position (70) in which the clamping element (30) is engaged with the guide rail (90) and in which the clamping element (30) exerts a clamping force (FC2) upon the holding component (82).
2. The accessory arrangement (10) according to claim 1, wherein the clamping element (30) comprises a spring element (34) by means of which the clamping element (30) is moveable between the locked position (70) and at least another position (72) in which the clamping element (30) is disengaged from the guide rail (90).
3. The accessory arrangement (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the housing component (24) comprises at least another clamping element (50) by means of which another clamping force (EC1) is exertable between the holding component (82) and the accessory housing (20) wherein the other clamping force (EC1) is directed axially along the guide rail (90).
4. The accessory arrangement (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the accessory housing (20) comprises a slide rail (16) by means of which the clamping element (30) is moveable axially guided.