Device for Installing Electronic Equipment on a Vehicle

The present invention relates to a device for installing electric or electronic equipment, such as audio devices, on a vehicle, especially on a motorcycle.

In recent years, motorcycles are equipped with various electronic devices such as a transceiver, a radio receiver, or a cassette receiver.

In installing such devices, it is necessary to secure the device while isolating it from vibrations of the motorcycle. In addition, the device has to be protected from water, and even from burglary without impairing the ease of operation.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the electronic equipment is readily disconnected from the body of the motorcycle.

An object of the invention is therefore to provide a device for installing electric equipment on a vehicle, which easily allows the disconnection of the equipment from the body of the vehicle, and includes sufficient waterproof and burglary preventing functions without deteriorating the facility of operation of the electronic equipment.

According to the present invention, the installing device comprises a first casing means for containing the electronic equipment therein and a second casing means fixed to a body of the vehicle for removably receiving the first casing means therein.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly understood upon review of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings in which like reference numerals denote like parts:

FIG. 1 is a general view of an example of a front cowl of a motorcycle on which the installing device according to the present invention is to be used;

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a lefthand side of the front cowl shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view similar to FIG. 2, showing a righthand side of the front cowl shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a general perspective view of a first embodiment of the device according to the present invention, used for installing a cassette tape player unit;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along a plane of lines A--A of FIG. 4 showing the general structure of the device;

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5, taken along a plane of lines B--B of FIG. 4, showing the states in which the cassette tape player unit is placed and withdrawn respectively;

FIG. 7 is a general perspective view of a second embodiment of the installing device according to the present invention, used for installing an audio control unit, showing a state in which the audio control unit is withdrawn;

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the installing device, corresponding to FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a general perspective view of a modification of the second embodiment of the installing device according to the present invention, used for installing an audio control unit, showing a state in which the audio control unit is withdrawn;

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the installing device, corresponding to FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view showing the relation between a flange portion of a connector and an outer case; and

FIG. 12 is a general perspective view showing a further modification of the second embodiment of the invention in which the connector member is surrounded by a rectangular protrusion.

Reference is first made to FIG. 1 in which an example of an arrangement of electric equipment on a front cowl of a motorcycle is illustrated.

As seen from FIGS. 1 through 3, a front cowl 1 is attached to a body of the motorcycle and is made of an inner panel 1A and an outer panel 1B which are integral with each other. A steering handle is provided which may be movable independently of the front cowl 1. The inner panel 1A is integrally connected to the inner wall of the outer panel 1B so as to define an arcuated hollow chamber or space extending along the inner wall of the outer panel 1B. The inner panel 1A has a generally U-shaped cross section in a horizontal plane and its leg portions extend rearwardly of the motorcycle and are formed into a pair of inwardly protruded and arcuated portions respectively forming left-hand and right-hand hollow spaces together with the lower portions of the outer panel 1B, which spaces are near and beneath left-hand and right-hand grips 3A and 3B. Within the right-hand side chamber, various electric circuit parts of the electric equipment are disposed such as a radio main unit 4, a transceiver main unit 5 and a power amplifier unit 6.

Within the left-hand side chamber are installed various control units such as a radio control unit 7, a transceiver control unit 8, an intercom control unit 9, an antenna distributer unit 10, a multi-changer unit 11 and a cassette tape player 12. It is to be understood that the manually operable parts such as buttons and dials of the control units are favourably positioned near and beneath the left-hand grip 3A, thereby performing facilitated handling of the manually operable parts.

As seen from FIG. 1, each leg portion of the inner panel 1A has a gradually inclined portion 1AA gradually inclined downwardly from the front part thereof in the rearward direction and a steeply inclined portion 1AB being continuous to the portion 1AA and rearwardly downwardly inclined more steeply than the portion 1AA thereby forming the rear end of the panel 1A. The two inclined portions 1AA and 1AB respectively have apertures through which the manually operable parts of the cassette tape player 12 and the control units 7 through 9 are exposed to the outside of the chamber along the upper surfaces of the respective inclined portions 1AA and 1AB. Furthermore, the manually operable parts of the control units 7 through 9 are downwardly inclined toward the center of the motorcycle thereby providing facilitated handling by the rider of the motorcycle.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a radio select switch 15 and a transceiver talk switch 16 are fixed on the handle 3 adjacent to the grip 3A. The motorcycle includes a fuel tank 17, a pair of air duct openings 18 and a meter console 20 having various indicators indicating various operational conditions of the electric equipments which are fixed to the front cowl 1.

The switches 15 and 16 are preferably connected to the steering handle 3 through fastening means 35 at positions close to the left-hand grip 3A.

As being well known in the art, the electric parts excluding the manually operable parts usually produces much more heat than the manually operable parts. Thus, the circuit parts and the control unit excluding the manually operable parts are preferably positioned close to the air duct opening thereby effectively performing radiation of the heat generated in those parts. The meter console 20 is, on the other hand, positioned around the center of the front cowl 1 and near the screen 2 so as to make the driver easily observe the console 20.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, left speaker 19L and right speaker 19R together with windscreen 2 are connected to the front cowl 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cassette tape player unit 12 is installed in the front cowl 1 by means of a device according to the invention in such a manner as to be angled towards the rear, i.e., the driver's side. Furthermore, an eject button 13 is disposed at the outer side of the body in relationship to a cassette ejection slot 14. With this arrangement the handling of a cassette tape is greatly facilitated. More specifically, when an operator, that is the driver of the motorcycle, presses the eject button 13 by the middle finger of the left hand, the cassette tape ejected from the slot 14 is automatically received in the palm of the left hand, thus preventing mishandling.

Turning to FIGS. 4 through 6, a first embodiment of the installing device according to the present invention will be explained hereinafter.

As shown in the figures, the installing device comprises an inner case 21 which receives the cassette tape player unit 12 and an outer case 24 which is connected to the front cowl 1 by means of a plurality of screws 25.

The cassette tape player unit 12 is supported in the inner case 21 via a pair of rubber supports 22 so as to insulate the vibration from an engine of the motorcycle through the inner case 21.

A seal rubber 23 is disposed between a panel 121 of the cassette tape player unit 12 and a peripheral edge of the inner case 21 so as to prevent water from permeating into the interior of the inner case 21.

Futhermore, the inner case 21 is provided with a flange 21A which conceals the head portion of the screws 25 (see FIG. 5).

In this example, a lid 30, pivotally connected to the panel 121, is used for covering the cassette ejection slot 14. A seal rubber 31 is provided on the inner face of the lid 30 so as to cooperate with a projection 32 formed at the peripheral portion of the cassette ejection slot on the panel 121 to prevent water penetration. A link mechanism 33 is provided for retaining the lid 30 in desired positions.

In addition, a cover assembly 34 comprising an outer member 34A is connectable to the panel 121 of the cassette tape player 12. An inner member 34B, slidably received in the outer member 34A, is preferably provided on the cassette tape player unit so as to cover the control buttons on the panel 121.

In order to fix the inner case 21 to the outer case 24, a clamp 28 and a lock means 26 are provided. The clamp 28 and the lock means 26 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 and 6.

As shown in FIG. 4, the outer case 24 is provided with the clamp 28 for fixing the inner case 21 at the rear end thereof, i.e., the lower end of the top face.

As shown in FIG. 4, the clamp 28 is cooperative with a notch formed at a corresponding part of a flange portion 21A of the inner case 21 which is typically illustrated in FIG. 5. The clamp 28 and the notch of the flange portion 21A together form a first fixing means. Also, the lock means 26 is provided to the front end portion 21B of the inner case 21, i.e., the upper end of the top face.

As shown in FIG. 6, the lock means 26 comprises a key cylinder assembly having a lock member 26A rotatable by a key 27. At a position on the outer case corresponding to the lock member 26A of the lock means, there is provided a hook 24A engageable therewith.

The lock member 26A and the hook 24A together form a second fixing means.

When the inner case 21 is placed in the outer case 24, the lock member 26A is automatically engaged with the hook 24A due to the slope formed on the side face thereof. The lock member 26A can be disengaged from the hook by turning the key 27.

As shown in FIG. 4, at the rear end of the flange portion 21A of the inner case 21, there are provided a pair of generally cone-shaped bending portions 29A and 29B so that the inner case 21 can be lifted by fingertips when the cassette tape player unit 12 is to be removed from the front cowl 1.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 7 and 8, a second embodiment of the installing device according to the present invention will be explained.

In the second embodiment, an audio control unit 52 which may correspond to the control units 7, 8 and 9 is received in the outer case 24 and the inner case 21 which is used in the first embodiment is eliminated. The second embodiment features a pair of electric connector members provided on a case 53 of the audio control unit and provided on the outer case 24. The case 53 is connected to the outer case 24 in a similar manner as in the first embodiment. However, instead of the engagement between the clamp 28 and the flange 21A in the first embodiment, a pair of protrusions 54 formed on the rear end of the case 53 and a pair of recesses 241 formed on the corresponding portion of the outer case 24 are utilized to fix the case 53 and the outer case 24 together. Similarly, a lock member 26A of the lock means 26 is received in an opening 242 formed on the outer case 24 instead of the hook 24A in the first embodiment (see FIG. 8).

The electric connector members comprise a first connector member 71 constituted, in this case, by a number of pins fixed to the bottom of the case 53 and a second connector member 72 fixed to the bottom of the outer case 24. Each connector member 71, 72 is positioned on the case 53 and the outer case so as to be facing each other. In this manner, the electric connection between the first and second connector members 71 and 72 is automatically made when the case 53 is received in the outer case 24.

In order to prevent water from flowing into the connector members 71 and 72, a seal member 80 made of rubber, for example, is provided on the bottom of the outer case 24 in a manner such that the seal member 80 surrounds the second connector member 72 except at the lower side end thereof so as to easily permit discharge of the water (see FIG. 8). Water may be discharged from the outer case 24 through the opening 24W.

The thickness of the seal member 80 is determined slightly larger than the gap between the case 53 and the outer case 24 so as to ensure the sealing function and also to operate as a shock absorbing device between the case 53 and the outer case 24.

Since the case 53 of the audio control unit 52 and the outer case 24 are usually disposed in a manner which is inclined to the rear of the motorcycle, the arrangement of the seal member 80 shown in FIG. 8 is quite advantageous to prevent water from flowing into the portion in which the connector member 72 is fixed.

Turning to FIGS. 9 through 11, a modification of the second embodiment will be explained.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the modification has a similar construction as the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. However, in this modification the second connector member 72 is slidably disposed on the bottom of the outer case 24.

As shown in FIG. 11, the second connector member 72 is provided with a flange portion 72A in which a pair of through holes 721, each includes upper and lower portions of different diameters.

A pair of studs 243, each having a widened head portion, is fixed to the outer case 24 by means of a threaded end thereof and a nut 244.

With this arrangement, the second connector member is slidably mounted in an opening formed on the bottom of the outer case 24 in directions substantially parallel to the bottom face of the outer case 24.

Since the second connector member 72 is slidably mounted on the outer case 24, the position thereof is automatically adjusted to the position of the first connector member fixed to the case 53. Thus, when the case 53 is received in the outer case 24 the connection between the first and second connector member 71 and 72 is facilitated.

FIG. 12 shows a further modification of the second embodiment of the invention in which the connector member 71 is surrounded by a rectangular protrusion 73 formed at the bottom of the case 53. The height of the protrusion is larger than that of the pins of the connector member 71. A cap member 74 is provided which is fixed by means of a flexible fixing line or wire 75 to the case 53 and is contoured to be engageable with the protrusion 73 so as to protect the connector member 71 especially in the case when the case 53 is disconnected from the outer case 24. The cap member 74 may be accommodated into a recess 53 formed on the side wall of the case 53 when the case 53 is accommodated into the outer case 24.

As will be readily understood from the foregoing, a device for installing electronic equipment on a vehicle, having sufficient waterproof and vibration insulation fuctions is provided according to the present invention.

Especially, the electronic equipment is readily disconnected from the body of the motorcycle by using a pair of electric connector members respectively connected to the case of the electronic equipment and the outer case fixed to the body of the motorcycle. Moreover, the electronic equipment is protected from burglary by the provision of the lock means which is only accessible by means of a key.

In addition, because of the water tight structure of the lid which covers the cassette ejection slot, and a cover assembly for the control panel, use of the cassette tape player is made possible even in the rain.

Above, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described. It should be understood, however, that the foregoing description is for illustrative purpose only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, there are numerous equivalents to the preferred embodiments, and such are intended to be covered by the appended claims.