BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an assembly for mounting a mobile terminal in or on a vehicle, and relates to a vehicle comprising such a mounting assembly.

Description of the Background Art

The significance of mobile terminals, such as mobile phones and smartphones and tablet computers, as a central means of communication for customers is constantly increasing. Successful integration of mobile terminals into a vehicle, especially a motor vehicle, is a key element for future customer satisfaction. In addition to the “electrical” integration in particular into the operating and display concept of the vehicle, physical integration, i.e., the storing of the mobile terminal in the vehicle, is also of great importance. The physical integration is subject to a variety of requirements, for example with regard to ergonomic access, positioning in contact-based or contactless electrical charging, cable routing with, e.g., USB connections, the variety of terminal geometries, wired or wireless coupling function with an antenna, mounting/securing during dynamic driving, protection of the display of the terminal and much more.

The visibility of the relevant mobile terminal in a specific storage space while driving may be subject to restrictions for safety reasons. Known visual covers are plug-in solutions, flaps, drawers, partitions and the like.

For example, DE 10 2013 000 138 A1 describes an assembly for securing a mobile device, here referred to as a portable electronic communication device, in particular in a means of transportation, which at least comprises a panel with an opening and a lifting device, the assembly being set up to at least almost completely receive the communication device through the opening and to at least partially eject the same again through the opening. For this purpose, the assembly has a pivotable element which is fixed to a support section for receiving the device. In the ejected state of the device, the same is pivotally arranged on the pivotable element in the direction of a horizontal line in such a way that comfortable viewing of the display of the communication device is possible.

DE 10 2013 001 130 A1 discloses a storage compartment for the interior of a vehicle for receiving objects, such as a cell phone. The storage compartment has a bottom and a peripheral side wall, which form a receiving space. For holding the objects, at least one holding device is provided, which has a windable, tensile-load bearing partition wall and a winding device for winding the partition wall.

DE 10 2014 008 810 A1 shows a charging device for a mobile terminal in a vehicle, comprising a charging unit for inductive energy transmission to the mobile terminal and a holding unit for holding the mobile terminal. The holding unit is designed as a compartment with a first opening for inserting the mobile terminal. At least one holding element for generating a holding force acting on the mobile terminal in the direction of the charging unit is arranged inside the compartment.

DE 10 2016 102 736 A1 describes a center console with a pivotable cover element, which comprises a receiving area for receiving a mobile terminal and a so-called coupling box, wherein the coupling box provides a charging device for charging the mobile terminal, a connection to an outdoor antenna and means for receiving and sending signals.

In general, prior art solutions may serve their intended purpose. Regardless of this, however, they are relatively complicated to manufacture and elaborate in their ergonomic handling, in particular when fitting the specific storage space with the mobile terminal and removing the latter from this space, causing the customer to perceive these as uncomfortable.

US 2013/0 134 282 A1, on the other hand, discloses a holder for an electronic device that can be positioned on a support surface. It is explicitly stated that the holder can be positioned in such a way that the electronic device or its screen and/or the operating elements are visible to a user. The holder holds the electronic device by means of a rear support at an angle which can also be variably adjusted by means of a spacer. The support surface can be a motor vehicle dashboard. Although this solution may ensure ergonomic handling when equipping the holder with an electronic device, such as a mobile terminal, it is not suited for mandatorily restricting the visibility of the operating and/or display surface of the mobile terminal for the vehicle driver for reasons of safety.

DE 10 2015 202 254 A1, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 9,682,664, and discloses a storage compartment in the form of an upwardly open container within, for example, a center console of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising receiving shafts for portable electronic display devices, such as tablet computers, smartphones and the like. The receiving shafts can be oriented vertically or obliquely to the vertical. This document makes no statement regarding the possible visibility of the operating and/or display surface of the respective display device.

DE 20 2007 012 617 U1 discloses a beverage holder in a vehicle, to which an adapter is assigned, which is designed as a replacement insert for the secure mounting and explicitly easy operation of a cell phone. The adapter has a sloping bearing shell. Although this solution may also ensure ergonomic handling when equipping the holder with a cell phone, it is not suited for restricting the visibility of the operating and/or display surface of the mobile terminal for the vehicle driver for reasons of safety.

US 2018/0 001 835 A1 discloses a combination of a cup holder and a cell phone holder within the passenger compartment of a vehicle. The cup holder with the cell phone holder can be rotated or pivoted by 360° so that both the driver and the front passenger can see and access the cell phone well. Although this solution may also ensure ergonomic handling when equipping the holder with a cell phone, it is not suited for restricting the visibility of the operating and/or display surface of the mobile terminal for the vehicle driver for reasons of safety.

US 2012/0 161 406 A1 discloses a holder for a mobile terminal that can be attached to a shopping cart, the holder being configured for a variety of sizes of the terminals. The holder can be mounted in an oblique assembly and/or be designed to be pivoted so as to be able to better see the terminal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an assembly as an alternative to the prior art for mounting a mobile terminal in or on a vehicle, which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which ensures comfortable use of the mobile terminal when fitting the same in or removing it from a specific storage space. According to a second aspect of the invention, for safety reasons, it is an object thereof to effectively prevent the vehicle driver from becoming distracted as a result of in particular optical signals from a mobile terminal positioned as directed in the the space, and from being encouraged to use the terminal, possibly adversely influencing the operation of the vehicle. According to a third aspect of the invention, it is the object of the invention to provide a vehicle with such a mounting assembly.

Starting from an assembly for mounting a mobile terminal in or on a vehicle, comprising a mounting console which has a receiving portion for the the mobile terminal, wherein the receiving portion has a support surface for the mobile terminal starting from a vertical and being arranged in an inclined manner relative to same, and a base delimiting the bottom of the receiving portion and supporting the bottom of the mobile terminal, which base is oriented orthogonally to the inclined support surface, the object is achieved in that the mounting console is arranged in a compulsory manner in such a way in or on the vehicle and that its support surface is inclined such to a vehicle driver of the vehicle, that when the mobile terminal is arranged as intended in the mounting console such that an operating and/or display surface of the mounted mobile terminal faces away from the vehicle driver, the operating and/or display surface is not visible to the vehicle driver, wherein, however, preferably the operating and/or display surface can be seen by a potential vehicle passenger.

The inclined support surface and the base oriented orthogonally to the same, on which the bottom of the mobile terminal is supported, ensures that the mobile terminal arranged in the mounting console bears stably, i.e., without tilting, against the support surface at least when the vehicle is traveling normally. In addition, this advantageously prevents or at least minimizes the risk that the vehicle driver is distracted while driving as a result of various signals, in particular optical signals, from the mobile terminal, possibly being encouraged to use the the terminal, which would adversely affect the operation of the vehicle.

The mounting console can be arranged in a center console of the vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, more preferably in a receiving recess of the center console. This assembly of the mounting console in the vehicle advantageously combines simple handling of the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is arranged in the mounting console and when the terminal is removed from the mounting console with the fact that the operating and/or display surface of the mounted mobile terminal is not visible to the vehicle driver.

In order to effectively prevent the mobile terminal from falling out of the mounting console, particularly when driving dynamically, at least one mounting element is arranged, and/or a mounting geometry of the mounting console is formed, opposite the support surface.

The at least one mounting element and/or the mounting geometry are preferably designed and oriented in such a way that, starting from the bottom of the receiving portion, an upwardly widening receiving area or a receiving compartment or plug-in compartment for the mobile terminal is formed. This has the advantage of simple and largely unimpeded fitting of the mounting console with the mobile terminal.

In order to better protect the mobile terminal from falling out of the mounting console, the mounting console and/or the at least one mounting element are preferably designed in such a way that the mounted mobile terminal is delimited both on its rear wall and its front side as well as towards at least one side edge of the same.

In order to enable convenient removal of the mounted mobile terminal from the mounting console, it can further be provided that the mounting console has or forms an engagement recess in the bottom area thereof, which engagement recess can be accessed manually from the side of the mounting console opposite the support surface. This also results in the knowledge that the bottom of the mounting console does not have to be formed over the entire surface or continuously but can also be designed only in sections or locally in order to support the bottom of the mobile terminal, which is accordingly also covered by the invention.

In order to prevent damage to the mobile terminal and/or rattling noises due to the relative movement of the mobile terminal with respect to the mounting console while driving, the mounting console has an elastomeric coating at least in sections or is formed by an elastomer.

To be able to adapt the support surface of the mounting console in terms of the aforementioned non-visibility of the operating and/or display surface of the mounted mobile terminal for the vehicle driver to different boundary conditions, such as the body size of the vehicle driver, seat height adjustment, etc., and a resulting imaginary line of sight of the vehicle driver, in a further development of the invention the support surface is designed to be adjustable or configurable in its angle of inclination “a”, wherein the orthogonal orientation of the base to the support surface is maintained.

According to another aspect of the invention, this also comprises an assembly for mounting a mobile terminal in or on a vehicle, comprising a mounting console which has a receiving portion for the the mobile terminal, wherein the receiving portion has a support surface starting from a vertical and arranged at an angle thereto, on which the mobile terminal bears in the receiving portion with its rear wall when the terminal is arranged as intended, and has a base which delimits the bottom of the receiving portion and supports the bottom of the mobile terminal. It is advantageously provided that as a result of a compulsory assembly of the mounting console in the vehicle and the intended fitting of the mobile terminal in the mounting console, a front side of the mobile terminal having an operating and/or display surface is arranged inclined in such a way that no viewing condition between one of the light beams emanating from the operating and/or display surface and a line of sight of a vehicle driver is geometrically fulfilled, but preferably a viewing condition between a light beam emanating from the operating and/or display surface and a line of sight of a possible vehicle passenger is geometrically fulfilled.

This advantageously prevents or at least minimizes the risk that the vehicle driver is distracted while driving as a result of optical signals from the mobile terminal arranged as intended in the mounting console and might be encouraged to handle the the terminal in a manner which adversely affects the driving of the vehicle. A light beam emanating from the control and/or display surface is therefore not emitted in the direction of the driver's line of sight. Expressed even more simply, this means that the mobile terminal is always positioned or plugged into the mounting console in such a way that the control and/or display surface is not visible to the vehicle driver.

The invention further relates to a vehicle having an assembly of the type described above.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes, combinations, and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

