KR20060092971A - Modular apparatus holder with multipurpose intermediate support member for supporting minicomputer, cell phone and similar apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

In a modular holder for supporting a device or device, such as a small computer or a mobile phone, comprising a support member having a support head and a device holder supported thereon, the intermediate box is engaged on a side thereof with one side detachable on the support head. It is possible to install, the device holder is detachably installed on the other side of the middle box by the same engagement structure, the middle box includes at least one speaker for outputting the sound generated by the predetermined device engaged by the device holder do.

Support member, middle box, device holder, speaker, antenna

Description

MODULAR APPARATUS HOLDER WITH MULTIPURPOSE INTERMEDIATE SUPPORT MEMBER FOR SUPPORTING MINICOMPUTER, CELL PHONE AND SIMILAR APPARATUS}

1 is a side view of a device holder according to the invention having a device or device comprising a GPS antenna module supported on a holder, wherein external connection cables are omitted.

2 shows an intermediate box in exploded view and a GPS antenna module in side view.

3 is a rear view of an intermediate box in which an antenna module is coupled to a box.

4 is another side view of the intermediate box to which the antenna module is coupled.

5 is a front view of an intermediate box to which an antenna module is coupled.

6 is a plan view of an intermediate box in which the antenna module is removed.

7 is a plan view of an intermediate box to which an antenna module is coupled.

8 is a bottom view of an intermediate box to which an antenna module is coupled.

Pocket minicomputers, mobile navigation devices, mobile phones and combinations of these devices, commonly referred to as PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), are often used in automobiles. In order to facilitate their use in automobiles, appliance holders are known which comprise means for attaching the appliance holder to a windshield, instrument panel or other suitable location of the automobile. The instrument holder also often includes an adjustable support arm, for example in the form of a so-called goose neck, and device support equipment for connecting and supporting each device. It is also known to install the device support equipment in a detachable manner on the support arm so that it can be replaced by another device support equipment specially designed for supporting another device or device.

It is advantageous in many respects to use the device in connection with the described support equipment in a car, because it is supported in a convenient position adjacent to the motorist and can be easily removed and carried by the user, but in a car it is supported on the holder. There are some unsatisfactory points when using an existing device or device. For example, because driving, wind, and traffic noise are often overwhelming, message sound reproduction of a mobile navigation device produced by the device's small speakers is difficult to hear. Also, for example, if a GPS antenna is installed on the windshield or other suitable location outside the driver's field of view, connected to the device via a cable, and the cable may loosen past the passenger compartment and interfere with the driver or passenger. The cables required in connection with such devices are often distracting.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device or device holder which makes the use of the device or device in the motor vehicle more convenient and more effective.

In a modular support device for supporting a device or device, such as a small computer or a mobile phone, comprising a support member having a support head or a device holder supported thereby, the intermediate box is detachable on one side of the support head by an interlocking structure. The device holder is detachably installed on the other surface of the intermediate box by the same engagement structure, and the intermediate box includes at least one speaker for outputting sound generated by a predetermined device engaged by the device holder.

The modular device or appliance holder according to the invention comprises equipment for easy removal from the support equipment and for easy placement on the support equipment, which is installed in the vehicle in a suitable position such as a windshield, instrument panel or central console. And an installation foot, a support arm, the support arm extends from the installation foot and carries the support equipment for containing and engaging each device or device. A multipurpose intermediate installation box is provided between the support arm and the support equipment, wherein the multipurpose installation box includes an amplifier that amplifies the acoustic messages of the device or device arranged in the at least one speaker and the holder, with good sound quality and volume for the amplifier and the speaker. Send. In order to adjust the volume, the box may include a volume controller. Space is provided by a component suitable for the engagement structure between the box back and the front of the support arm head so that sound waves can be emitted from the acoustic outlet on the back of the box. An acoustic signal input socket is provided on the side of the box to be coupled to the (audio output) cable of the device or device supported on the holder.

Preferably several functions are provided by the box. In particular, the box may also function as a power supply or power transmission equipment for applying a voltage to a device or apparatus supported on the holder. For this purpose, a socket is provided which can be connected to the power supply plug or to the socket of the motor vehicle, for example a cigarette lighter socket by cable. The box can also function as antenna equipment coupled to the GPS antenna. The GPS antenna preferably comprises an antenna socket on which the antenna is supported axially and which itself is firmly connected to the plug for insertion into the antenna socket of the box. The navigation device is connected to the second antenna socket of the box by an antenna cable.

The invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments based on the accompanying drawings.

This figure is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an arrangement according to the invention as an essential feature without unnecessary detail.

1 is a complete modular device or device holder in accordance with the present invention having a supported antenna and a GPS antenna coupled to the device holder.

The modular device or device holder can be bent at its free end and, via a flexible support arm 2, for example, the support module is attached to the windshield WS of the vehicle, so that the installation foot 1 can be And a support arm module having a support end, wherein the free end is the support head 3 in the form in which the mounting plate is arranged. Of course, the support arm module can be of a different design, for example comprising a rigid column, which is arranged on the mounting platform and carries the head at its free end in the form of a mounting plate. The support arm module is known in various conventional holders.

In the modular device or appliance holder according to the invention, an intermediate box 4 is installed on the support arm head 3, which will be described in more detail below. The device or device holder 5 is mounted on the intermediate box 4. The device holder 5 is specially designed for the reception of a specific device G, and thus is configured according to the type of the particular device or device for engagement with the reception.

In a detachable conventional device or device holder, the device holder is mounted directly on the support head 3. In the arrangement according to the invention, a multipurpose intermediate box 4 is arranged between the support arm head 3 and the instrument holder 5. Also in the illustrated embodiment, the GPS antenna module 6 is coupled to the intermediate box 6.

The middle box 4 shown on all sides in FIGS. 2 to 8 is an active speaker box, power supply equipment and antenna structure in this embodiment.

The support arm head 3, the intermediate box 4 and the instrument holder 5 are all preferably made of plastic material and interconnected by a quick coupling mechanism. The quick engagement mechanism preferably comprises a hook-shaped protrusion 7 with an L-shaped cross in one part and an auxiliary slot 8 formed in the other part for engaging with a part thereof, wherein the hook-shaped protrusion 7 is an auxiliary slot. Inserted into (8), and then a part is moved slightly laterally in relation to the other part, whereby the two parts are firmly engaged with each other. The interlocking structure is disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,740,995. The quick engagement structure between the instrument holder 5 and the intermediate box 4 and between the intermediate box 4 and the support arm head 3 is preferably the same in terms of their arrangement size and orientation and can also be used in other instrument holders. They are so identical that they can be used interchangeably so that the intermediate box can also be used in connection with another holder or the instrument holder can be mounted directly on the support head without the intermediate box.

As shown in the side view of FIG. 2, a hook-shaped protrusion 7 is provided on the front face and an insertion slot 8 (not shown in FIG. 2) is provided on the protruding leg 9 on the back of the intermediate box 4. . As shown in FIG. 2, an audio signal input terminal 10 and a volume controller 11 are arranged on one surface of the intermediate box 4.

3 shows the back side of the intermediate box 4 with the protruding leg 9 and the insertion slot 8, the insertion slot 8 having a protruding leg 9 for receiving the hooked protrusion of the support arm head 3. Is formed in In addition, the intermediate box 4 provides on the back an acoustic slot 12 for sound waves produced by the speakers installed in the intermediate box 4. The protruding leg 9 provides a gap between the barrier wall of the intermediate box 4 and the support arm head 3 so that sound waves can exit through the sound slot 12 and by the mounting plate of the support arm head 3. Echo to the periphery. Of course, the sound slots 12 can be arranged in front of the intermediate box 4 and, therefore, a gap for sound waves can be provided between the front of the sound box and the device or device holder 5. However, it is known that an arrangement having an acoustic slot on the back of the intermediate box 4 is more convenient. Of course, an acoustic outlet may also be provided at the side wall of the intermediate box 4. The actual arrangement will depend on the space considerations and what functions will be integrated in the intermediate box 4. However, the side of the intermediate box 4 is conveniently used for the installation of the requisite plug sockets as is apparent from the description below.

4 shows an intermediate box 4 on the opposite side to that shown in FIG. 2. On the opposite side, a power input plug socket 13 and a GPS antenna input signal plug socket 14 are provided. The plug of the power supply cable can be inserted into the plug socket 13 and the other end thereof has a plug suitable for the cigarette lighter socket of the automobile. The GPS antenna cable plug can be inserted into the GPS antenna input socket 14 and the GPS antenna is installed, for example, on the windshield or instrument panel of the vehicle.

5 shows a front view of an intermediate box 4 with a hook-shaped protrusion 7, which hook-shaped protrusion 7 is provided with an intermediate box for accommodating each slot in the rear wall of the device or device holder 5. Extends from 4).

6 shows the intermediate box 4 in a plan view, so that the protruding leg 9 on the rear side and the hook-shaped protrusion 7 on the front side can be clearly seen. On the top, when the GPS antenna module 6 is placed in the upper position of the intermediate box 4, the antenna plug-in socket 15 is provided in the form of a mini-USB socket 15 and protrudes from the GPS antenna module 6. The corresponding mini-USB plug 16 is inserted. The antenna module is shown in all figures except for FIG. 6 to represent the USB socket 15.

FIG. 7 is a plan view similar to FIG. 6, showing the GPS antenna module 6 coupled to the intermediate box 4.

8 is a bottom view of the intermediate box 4 with the GPS antenna module 6 coupled to the intermediate box 4. At the bottom of the intermediate box 4, a charge / data socket 17 is arranged so that the corresponding plug of the charge / data cable of the device or device G can be inserted. By means of the charge / data socket 17, the device or device G obtains primary power for the operation of the device or device G, ie battery charging from the intermediate box 4, and the GPS antenna data secondly. Acquire. This data may be provided by the antenna module 6, which is coupled to the intermediate box 4 or from another GPS antenna installed away from the intermediate box 4, the intermediate box 4. It is connected via an antenna cable coupled to the antenna input socket 14 arranged on one side of the).

As already mentioned, the intermediate box 4 also comprises an amplifier which can be controlled by the loudspeaker by the circular speaker acoustic sphere 12 shown in FIG. 3 and by the volume control 10 arranged on one side of the intermediate box 4. Include.

In addition, in the present embodiment shown, the intermediate box 4 is also a power supply equipment via the power supply plug socket 13, and the power input plug socket 13 is connected to the power input plug socket 13 at the required voltage by the power received from the vehicle power outlet. Through each device or device (G) and an amplifier to control the sound volume.

As already mentioned, the intermediate box 4 can be connected to the antenna structure, which is simply connected to the intermediate box 4 as a GPS antenna module or provided for the connection of a GPS antenna arranged outside the vehicle. have. Also by means of a power supply included in the intermediate box 4, each GPS antenna can be powered and the data signal provided by the antenna can be provided to the output socket 17 by corresponding data lines in the intermediate box. have.

Of course, the described functions should be considered as examples. The intermediate box according to the invention may accommodate fewer functions than described or may have additional functions depending on the type and need of the device or device G.

The GPS antenna module 6 shown in FIG. 2 is separated from the middle box 4 and is coupled to the middle box 4 in FIGS. 3 to 7 and 8, and a small USB plug 16 is firmly installed in the socket. (18). On this socket 18, the antenna carrier 19 is rotatably supported and carries the antenna member 20 by the hinge structure 21. The antenna member 20 can be adjusted according to its tilt and its direction of rotation on the socket 18 in order to optimize the accommodation in this way.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, a microphone input port 22 and a microphone support 23 may be provided in the middle box 4 together with the microphone 24. The microphone support 23 can be used with a bendable goose neck structure to allow the microphone 24 to be in an optimal position at the end of the goose neck. For example, the microphone support may be detachably installed to the microphone input port of the intermediate box using a plug-in connection, where the plug-in connection is in the form of a nose or key or for example a right angle plug and socket configuration. By using it can be provided as a counter-rotating means. The microphone 24 can be used to talk hands-free.

Instead of a combined charge / data socket, separate charge and data output sockets may be provided.

The present invention can provide an improved device or device holder that makes the use of small computers, mobile phones and similar devices more convenient and more effective in connection with holders in automobiles.

Claims (9)

A support member 2 having a support head 3, An intermediate box 4 having one surface detachably installed on the support head 3 by a first engagement structure 8, 7, and And a device holder (5) detachably installed on the other surface of the intermediate box (4) by second engagement structures (8, 7), The intermediate box includes at least one speaker for outputting sound generated by a predetermined device engaged with the device holder, the modular device holder for supporting a small computer, mobile phone and similar devices. The method of claim 1, And the second engagement structure is the same as the first engagement structure so that the device holder can be selectively installed in the intermediate box or directly in the support head. The method of claim 1, The intermediate box 4 has a power input socket 13 for supplying power to the intermediate box 4 and a power output socket 17 for supplying power to a device supported on the device holder 5. Modular device holder comprising a. The method of claim 1, The bottom surface of the intermediate box 4 includes an opening arranged inside the intermediate box for outputting the sound of the speaker, and the lower surface of the intermediate box has the engaging structure spaced apart from the support head 3. Modular device holder, characterized in that it comprises a foot provided for supporting the intermediate box (4) in the connection. The method of claim 1, The intermediate box (4) is characterized in that it comprises a sound volume control means (11) for adjusting the volume of the sound provided by the speaker arranged in the intermediate box (4). The method of claim 1, An antenna module 6 having a USB plug 16 is detachably installed on the intermediate box 4, and the intermediate box 4 is configured to accommodate the USB plug 16 of the antenna module 6. Modular device holder comprising a USB socket (15). The method of claim 6, The antenna module (6) is a modular device holder, characterized in that it comprises an antenna (20) rotatably supported axially so that the antenna can be positioned for optimal accommodation. The method of claim 1, And the engagement structure includes a hook-type protrusion on a portion of the interconnected portion and a slot-type opening for receiving the hook-type protrusion on the other portion of the interconnected portion. The method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate box (4), Microphone (24), A microphone support 23 supporting the microphone 24; And Modular device holder, characterized in that it further comprises a microphone input port 22 to which the microphone support 23 is coupled.

Images