JPH0450677Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a car telephone having a so-called hands-free function, which allows telephone calls to be made without lifting the handset.

(Prior art) Car phones have become rapidly popular in recent years, and there are two types of car phones: the handset type, which allows you to make calls by lifting the handset like a normal telephone, and the handset type, which allows you to make calls without lifting the handset. There is also a hands-free type.

By the way, in recent years, in order to improve safe driving when using a car phone, a hands-free function has been introduced that allows drivers to talk to the other party through a microphone installed near the driver's seat with a simple button press without having to take off the receiver each time. A car phone has been proposed (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-90836).

However, as shown diagrammatically in FIG.
In addition to the telephone set consisting of a main body 2 housed in the main body 1 and a receiver 3 detachably attached to the main body 2, a switching circuit 4, a radio device 5, and an antenna 6, the console box 1, a microphone 8 located on the right side of the instrument panel, and a number key consisting of numbers 0 to 9 located in the center 9a of the steering wheel 9, and a number key for starting or holding a call. A function key 10 is provided for The same number keys and function keys 10 are provided on one side of the handset 3, and when making a handset call using the handset 3, the number keys and function keys provided on the handset 3 are used, but when making a hands-free call, the number keys and function keys 10 provided on the handset 3 are used. Numerical keys and function keys 10 provided in the center portion 9a of the wheel 9 are used.

The numeric keys and function keys 10 provided on the steering wheel 9 are convenient for the driver to operate and make it easier to receive calls while driving, which is desirable for safe driving. The arrangement of keys is not only aesthetically undesirable, it also imposes constraints on the design of the steering wheel, and there is also the risk of accidentally touching a function key during a driving operation, such as when trying to sound the horn.

(Purpose and structure of the invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is designed to prevent the operation unit necessary for hands-free calling from being erroneously operated, and to further improve the operation during reception without sacrificing the aesthetic appearance. In order to achieve this purpose, a cover that can be opened and closed is attached to the operation part necessary for hands-free calls located in the center of the steering wheel, and when the cover is pressed. Of the operating units, a call start key is pressed.

(Example) The present invention will be explained below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the arrangement of the front part of the vehicle interior, and the same reference numerals as in FIG. 3 indicate the same components.

In the same figure, 11 is a gear shift lever, 12
1 is a driver's seat, 13 is a passenger's seat, and the central part 9a of the steering wheel 9 has numeric keys 14a for inputting the telephone number of the other party during a hands-free call, and function keys for starting a call. start key 14b and volume switch 14 for
c, a loudspeaker key 14d for switching a handset call to a hands-free call, and an end key 14e, which is pressed to end the call and end the call, are arranged, and covered with a cover 15 from above. The figure shows a state in which the cover 15 is closed.

Figure 2 A shows the center part 9 of the steering wheel 9.
The cover 15 covering the various keys provided in FIG. 1A is shown in an open state, and FIG.

The cover 15 is made of an opaque resin material so that the keys inside are not visible, and its color and shape are different from the central part 9.
This can be determined from the design perspective of a.

As can be seen from FIG. 2B, the cover 15 has a projection 15a formed on the back side.
The position a corresponds to the start key 14b among the function keys when the cover 15 is closed.
The cover 15 rotates about a point A and is held in two positions by a leaf spring 16: a closed position shown by a chain line and an open position shown by a solid line. In addition, when the cover 15 is closed, it is flush with the surface of the upper horn pad, and the end opposite to the mounting part is bent at a right angle so that the tip is separated from the mounting surface 16 of the functional cover by a certain distance d. There is.

Now, when a call comes in from outside and the ring tone sounds, if the driver wants to make a hands-free call, the driver presses the cover 15, and the protrusion 15a turns on the start key 14b, and the call starts. Start. After that, the cover 15 may be opened slowly. After that, use the microphone installed in the instrument and the speaker installed in the center console box to make a call like a normal phone call.
When the call ends, press the end cover 14e to close the cover.

When attempting to make a call to an outside party, the user first opens the cover 15 and presses the start key 14b, then operates the number keys 14a to start the call, and when the call ends, presses the end key 14e. Then close the cover.

(Effects of the invention) As explained above, in the present invention, an openable/closable cover is attached to the operation part necessary for hands-free calls provided in the center of the steering wheel, and when the cover is pressed, the call start key is pressed. Since it is configured so that the phone is turned on, you can close the cover when not using the phone to prevent accidental operation. In addition to having the effect of increasing the degree of freedom in design, when receiving a call, simply pressing the cover turns on the call start key, allowing for quick operation.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the front part of the vehicle interior of a vehicle equipped with the car telephone according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 A shows the cover provided at the center of the steering wheel in the car telephone according to the present invention in an open state. FIG. 2(b) is a perspective view, FIG. 1... Center console rubox, 2...
Main body, 3...Handset, 4...Switching circuit, 5...Radio device, 6...Antenna, 7...Speaker, 8...
Microphone, 9... Steering wheel, 10...
Numeric keys and function keys, 11...Gear shift lever, 14a...Numeric keys, 14b...Start key, 15...Cover, 15a...Protrusion, 16...
Function key mounting surface.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In a car phone in which an operating section necessary for hands-free calling is provided in the center of a steering wheel, the entire operating section is covered in the center of the steering wheel, and only a call start key of the operating section can be pressed by pressing. A car phone characterized by having a cover that can be opened and closed by pressing.