JP3114778B2 - Operating device for in-vehicle equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operating device for an on-vehicle device in which an operating portion is detachably mounted on a device body fixed in a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An operation unit as an operation unit can be freely attached to and detached from an apparatus body such as a car audio fixed inside an automobile, and when the driver leaves the vehicle, only the operation unit is detached and carried. For example, there is known a device capable of preventing the audio device from being stolen because only the device main body from which an operation unit such as a switch or a knob is missing remains on the vehicle side (for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 4-132684).

On the other hand, in recent car audio devices of this type, the operation unit is provided with a liquid crystal display unit for displaying the operation status of the device. That is, for example, in car audio that can be played on a CD (compact disc),
Since the operation of the CD is more diverse than that of the cassette, for example, it is necessary to display whether the operation set by the user is a program play, a random play, or an intro search. The lamp lighting display is not enough, and a liquid crystal display capable of specifically displaying alphabets, numerals, and the like is required. In addition, of course, the mode of the display surface can be freely changed in the case of the liquid crystal display, so that when the audio is not used, the present time is displayed and the range of use is wide, which is also advantageous.

[0004]

However, when a liquid crystal display is provided in the front operation unit of the device as described above, it is necessary to connect a microcomputer to control the liquid crystal display. In order to make the operation unit detachable, the following structure must be adopted.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, when the pins of the liquid crystal display (2) are connected to the microcomputer (1) for controlling the main body mounted in the main body of the apparatus, the detachable operation unit (3) is connected. ) And the connector (5) for connection between the main body (4)
However, since the number of pins of the liquid crystal display unit (2) as described above is as large as about 30 pins, the number of pins of the connector is increased, and the liquid crystal display unit (2) is compactly mounted between the detachable operation unit and the main body. That it would be difficult to establish
If the connector (5) is forcibly designed to be compact, there is an inconvenience that a contact failure is likely to occur with the attachment and detachment of the operation unit.

As a measure for avoiding the above disadvantages,
Operation unit (3) which can be removed as schematically shown in FIG.
Although it is conceivable to provide a microcomputer (6) dedicated to controlling the liquid crystal display unit (2) on the side, this structure can slightly reduce the number of pins of the connector (5) between the detachable operation unit and the main body. Since the microcomputer (6) dedicated to the liquid crystal display unit is mounted on the operation unit, there is a disadvantage that the cost is increased. The present invention seeks to overcome the above disadvantages.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided an operating device for an in-vehicle device in which an operating section is detachably attached to a device main body, wherein the device main body is provided with a liquid crystal display section for displaying an operation status and the like of the device. The operation unit is provided with a push button connected to the connector and an opening or a transparent window through which the liquid crystal display unit can be visually recognized when the push button is attached to the device main body. The small recess formed on either the left or right side of the operation unit rushes into and engages with the projection of the device body,
The liquid crystal display is arranged by turning around the engagement portion between the small recess and the projection as a fulcrum, and the liquid crystal display portion is disposed near the engagement portion between the small recess and the projection, The connector is arranged on the other side of the operation portion, which is separated from the engagement portion between the small recess and the projection.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a car audio system equipped with a CD player according to an embodiment of the present invention. The car audio system (7) includes an apparatus main body (8) incorporated and fixed in an automobile, and an operation unit (9) as an operation section detachably attached to a front portion of the apparatus main body (8) via a lock mechanism described later. ).

The apparatus main body (8) contains a receiving apparatus for FM and AM radio and a deck for a CD player.
(10) is a microcomputer for controlling all the devices in the main body, and (11) is a disc insertion slit of the CD player section. A liquid crystal display panel (12) for displaying the operation status of the built-in device such as the radio or CD player or the current time is provided on the front surface of the device body (8) so as to slightly protrude from the front surface. (13) and (14) are connectors for connecting the electric system of the operation unit (9) and the electric system of the main body (8).

As shown in FIG. 1, the operation unit (9) has a disc insertion slit (15) on its front surface, an opening (16) through which the liquid crystal display panel (12) is exposed, and various push buttons (17). ) Is provided, and when the operation unit (9) is attached to the device body (8), the slit (15) communicates with the slit (11) to form a disc insertion path and the opening (16). In (), the display surface of the liquid crystal display panel (12) is exposed flush with the front surface of the operation unit (9). This operation unit (9) also has an LED as a pilot lamp
(18) is provided, and other devices may be provided depending on the model.

Next, a lock mechanism for locking the operation unit (9) to the device body (8) will be described. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, on the left and right side surfaces of the operation unit (9), small recesses (20) (21) which engage with the projections on the main body side when the operation unit (9) is mounted on the main body (8). Are formed on the main body side, and fixed projections (22) that pierce and engage with the small recesses (20) on the left side, and movable projections that pierce and engage with the small recesses (21) on the right side so as to be freely inserted and removed. (23) is provided.

The movable projection (23) comprises a leaf spring (25) having one end fixed to a housing rib (24) in the main body, and a resin claw member (26) fixed to the tip of the leaf spring (25). The member (26) is constantly urged by the elastic force of the leaf spring (25) in a direction to protrude into the small recess (21). The lock release button (2) having a wedge-shaped portion (27) is engaged with the claw member (26) from the front.
8) is provided, and when the button (28) is pressed, the wedge-shaped portion (27) moves the claw member (26) in the direction of being pulled out from the recess (21), whereby the claw member (26) is moved.
The engagement of the (movable projection) with the recess (21) is released.

When the projection (23) is disengaged in this manner, the operating unit (9) is free to pivot forward with the engaging portion between the small recess (20) and the fixed projection (22) as a fulcrum. Therefore, the user can easily remove it from the main body (8) (in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2). It is needless to say that the lock mechanism may have any structure other than that shown above.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a circuit diagram of the operation unit (9) and a main part of the device main body (8). That is, each of the push buttons (17) on the operation unit (9) is connected to a tact switch (29) which is internally wired in a matrix, and this matrix wiring is connected to each pin of the connector (14). . On the other hand, on the device body (8) side, each pin of the connector (13) has a microcomputer (1) for controlling the body.
0), and the pins of the liquid crystal display panel (12) are also connected to each port of the microcomputer (10) as shown. As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid crystal display panel (12) of this example mainly has a seven-segment display for displaying a song number and a current time, and displays such as "FM" and "AM" arranged around the display. It has a display such as a triangular play mark.

Since the car audio of this embodiment has the structure as described above, when the operation unit (9) is removed, as shown in FIG. 1, the operation unit (9) mainly has a push button ( 17), the operation unit (9) is attached to a predetermined position of the device main body (8) and fixed by the lock mechanism, and the liquid crystal display panel (12) is inserted into the opening (16) of the operation unit (9). ) Is just fitted, and becomes the same front face of the operation unit as the liquid crystal display panel is provided on the operation unit itself.

A transparent window in which glass or a transparent plastic plate or the like is fitted in place of the opening (16) may be used, or an operation unit (for example, a volume knob or the like) other than the push button (17) may be connected to the operation unit ( 9).

[0017]

As is apparent from the above description, in the operating device for a vehicle-mounted device according to the present invention, as described at the beginning, the connector between the operating unit and the main body cannot be made compact, or the liquid crystal display does not work. Without the various inconveniences of having to provide a microcomputer dedicated to the unit, the state in which the operation unit is attached to the device body can be the same as the state in which the liquid crystal display unit is provided in the operation unit itself.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a car audio device equipped with a CD player according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a lock mechanism of the operation unit to the main device.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a main part of an electric system of an operation unit and a main body.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a conventional device.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 (8) Equipment body (9) Operation unit (10) Microcomputer (12) Liquid crystal display panel (16) Opening (20) Small recess (21) Small recess (23) Projection (24) Movable projection (26) Claw member (28) Lock release button

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An operation device for an in-vehicle device in which an operation unit is detachably attached to a device main body, a liquid crystal display unit for displaying an operation status of the device is provided on the device main unit, and the operation unit has a connector. a pushbutton connected, it is provided with an aperture or transparent window visible is the liquid crystal display unit when attached to the device body, detachable to the device main body of the operation portion
Is a small recess formed on either side of the operation unit.
Engaging with the projection of the container main body, and engaging the small recess with the projection.
By turning around the fulcrum
And the liquid crystal display is engaged with the small recess and the projection.
And the connector is located between the small recess and the projection.
An operating device for an in-vehicle device, wherein the operating device is disposed near another side surface of the operating unit separated from the engaging unit .