Microphone assembly for vehicular installation

[0002] None.

[0003] Not Applicable.

[0004] This invention relates to the installation of a microphone in a vehicular cabin, such as in a rear view mirror, head-liner, or the like.

[0005] For some time now, microphone assemblies, containing one or more microphones have been installed in automobiles for communicating with a vehicular communication system, such as for a hands-free cellular phone system. These microphone assemblies are frequently placed in a rear-view mirror, head-liner, overhead console, or the like, and change an acoustical signal into an electrical signal, and then pass the electrical signal on, either as-is, or with amplification and/or signal processing. The microphone assembly must in some manner be electrically coupled to the balance of the vehicular communication system. Typically this is accomplished with a cable which must be manually attached to a mating connector on the mirror. See, for example, DeLine et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,278,377 and Schofield, U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,688.

[0006] It has been found to be difficult to make this electrical connection properly, which adds cost and complexity to both the design, as well as to the assembly process.

[0007] In some circumstances, the microphone assembly may be directional, where the exact orientation of the microphone is critical. Prior art microphone assemblies could be installed in an incorrect orientation.

[0008] Additionally, all these extra connecting parts on the microphone assembly and in the mirror assembly add no value in terms of the acoustical performance of the system.

[0009] The present invention is provided to solve these and other problems.

[0010] It is an object of the invention to provide a microphone assembly for installation on a surface in a cabin of a vehicle to electrically couple the microphone with a vehicular communication system.

[0011] In accordance with the invention, the assembly comprises a microphone having an outer surface and a plurality of microphone contacts fixedly secured to the outer surface and means for securing the microphone to the surface in an orientation to electrically couple the plurality of microphone contacts to a respective plurality of fixedly secured system contacts to couple the microphone with the vehicular communication system.

[0012] It is contemplated that the microphone contacts may be spring biased.

[0013] It is further contemplated that the securing means comprises a threaded outer surface to engage a threaded vehicular surface, or an interference fit there between. The securing means may include locating protrusions for rotationally positioning the microphone relative to the vehicular surface.

[0014] It is still further contemplated that the vehicular surface is a part of a rear-view mirror, a vehicular head-liner, a vehicular overhead console, or the like.

[0015] In one embodiment, it is contemplated that the microphone assembly has a peripheral surface and the contacts are located on the peripheral surface.

[0016] In another embodiment, the microphone has a base surface and the contacts are located on the base surface.

[0017] It is a further object of the invention to provide a method of installing a microphone on a surface in a cabin of a vehicle to electrically couple the microphone with a vehicular communication system.

[0018] According to this aspect of the invention, the method comprises providing a microphone having an outer surface and a plurality of microphone contacts fixedly secured to the outer surface, providing a surface in the vehicular cabin having a respective plurality of fixedly secured system contacts electrically coupled to the vehicular communication system, and securing the microphone to the surface in an orientation to electrically couple the plurality of microphone contacts to the respective plurality of fixedly secured system contacts to electrically couple the microphone with the vehicular communication system.

[0019] These and other aspects and attributes of the present invention will be discussed with reference to the following drawings and accompanying specification.

[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a microphone assembly installed in a rear-view mirror in accordance with the invention;

[0021] FIG. 2 is an enlarged portion of FIG. 1, illustrating a first embodiment of the invention;

[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates one mounting configuration for the microphone assembly according to the invention;

[0023] FIGS. 4a,b,cand dillustrate other mounting configurations of the microphone assembly in accordance with the invention; and

[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates the microphone assembly installed in other locations of a vehicular cabin.

[0025] While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawing, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.

[0026] A rear view mirror assembly 10 for communicatively coupling a vehicular passenger with a vehicular communication system 12 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The mirror assembly 10 comprises a mirror housing 14 having a housing surface 14aand a plurality of fixedly secured mirror contacts 16 (FIG. 2) electrically coupled with the vehicular communication system 12. A microphone 18 having an outer surface 18aand a respective plurality of microphone contacts 20 are fixedly secured to the outer surface 18a.

[0027] Means are provided for securing the microphone 18 to the housing surface 14ain an orientation to electrically couple the plurality of microphone contacts 20 to the respective plurality of fixedly secured mirror contacts 16 to couple the microphone 18 with the vehicular communication system 12. The microphone contacts 20 may be solid or spring biased.

[0028] In a first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4a, the securing means comprises cooperatively threaded surfaces on the microphone outer surface 18aand the mirror housing surface 14a. The threading is aligned so that when the microphone 18 is fully screwed in, the microphone contacts 20 are in contact with the mirror contacts 16.

[0029] In a second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the securing means comprises an interference fit between the microphone outer surface 18aand the mirror housing surface 14a. In this embodiment, the microphone assembly 18 includes a protrusion 24 to fit into a cooperative slot 26 in the mirror assembly 14 to insure proper orientation of the microphone assembly 18.

[0030] In one embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 3, the microphone assembly 18 has a peripheral surface 18band the microphone contacts 20 are located on the peripheral surface. In this embodiment, the mirror contacts 16 are located on the inner surface 14aof the mirror housing 14.

[0031] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the microphone assembly 18 has a base surface 18cand the microphone contacts 20 are located on the base surface 18c. In this embodiment, the mirror contacts 16 are located inside the mirror housing, such as on a printed circuit board 36.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 5, the microphone assembly 18 may be located in other areas of the vehicular cabin, such as a vehicular head-liner 40, an overhead console 42 or in a pod 44, such as depending from a mirror 14.

[0033] It should be understood that the microphone assembly 18 may be installed from either side of the surface, i.e., from the inside out, or the outside in.

[0034] From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.