HOLDING FIXTURE FOR FASTENING A MOBILE TERMINAL TO A MODULE

Abstract

A holding fixture for fastening a mobile terminal to a module having fastening elements for attaching the holding fixture. The mobile terminal includes a charging coil for contactlessly charging an energy store. The holding fixture includes a window region and a support frame for holding the mobile terminal and for attachment to the module. The support frame extends about the window region. The window region is covered by a supported mobile terminal, when the holding fixture is attached to the module. The holding fixture includes a transmitter unit for generating a resonant inductive coupling with the charging coil. With the aid of a transmitting coil, the transmitter unit generates a resonant inductive coupling acting at least partially through the window region. Consequently, a holding fixture is provided, which includes a window region and has an improved efficiency in the charging of the energy store of a supported mobile terminal.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A holding fixture for fastening a mobile terminal to a module having fastening elements for attaching the holding fixture, the mobile terminal including a charging coil for contactlessly charging an energy store, the holding fixture comprising: a window region; a support frame configured to hold the mobile terminal and for attachment to the module, the support frame extending about the window region, and the window region being covered by a supported mobile terminal, when the holding fixture is attached to the module; a transmitter unit configured to generate a resonant inductive coupling with the charging coil, and using a transmitting coil, the transmitter unit configured to generate a resonant inductive coupling acting at least partially through the window region.

12. The holding fixture as recited in claim 11, wherein the transmitting coil is situated on a separate support element, and the support element is detachably connected to the support frame.

13. The holding fixture as recited in claim 12, wherein the support element is detachably connected to the holding fixture and extends, in a connected state, from the support frame into the window region.

14. The holding fixture as recited in claim 13, wherein the support frame includes a first electrical connecting element, and the support element includes a second electrical connecting element for connection to the first electrical connecting element.

15. The holding fixture as recited in claim 12, wherein the support element and the transmitting coil have a rolled-up state and an unrolled state and extend, in an unrolled state, from the transmitter unit across the window region.

16. The holding fixture as recited in claim 15, wherein the support frame includes a locking element configured to detachably retain the support element in the unrolled state.

17. The holding fixture as recited in claim 16, wherein the locking element is a lug, and the support element includes a hook configured to connect to the lug.

18. The holding fixture as recited in claim 11, wherein the transmitting coil is integrated in the support frame, and the transmitting coil includes a plurality of windings which extend around the window region.

19. A system, comprising: a holding fixture; and a module having fastening elements for attaching the holding fixture; wherein the holding fixture is configured to fasten a mobile terminal to the module, the mobile terminal including a charging coil for contactlessly charging an energy store, the holding fixture including: a window region, a support frame configured to hold the mobile terminal and for attachment to the module, the support frame extending about the window region, and the window region being covered by a supported mobile terminal, when the holding fixture is attached to the module, a transmitter unit configured to generate a resonant inductive coupling with the charging coil, and using a transmitting coil, the transmitter unit configured to generate a resonant inductive coupling acting at least partially through the window region; wherein the holding fixture is connected to the module, and the window region is situated over the module.

20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the holding fixture is detachably connected to the module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a schematic representation of a system and a control device in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a separate support element, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIGS. 3A and 3B show a schematic representation of a rollable support element, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of a transmitting coil wound around the window region, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0030] FIG. 1A shows a holding fixture 10 and a module 14, which includes fastening elements for attaching the holding fixture and is mounted to handlebars 16 of a bicycle. Module 14 may be, for example, a control unit. Holding fixture 10 supports a mobile terminal 12 in the form of a smartphone. Holding fixture 10 is fastened to module 14 with the aid of a mechanical structure and remains securely mounted, even if mobile terminal 12 is removed from holding fixture 10 and is no longer used for cycling. In this context, holding fixture 10 may be detachably connected to module 14.

[0031] In addition, holding fixture 10 has an open window region 28 in the center, which is bounded by a support frame 30 that is shown in FIGS. 2 through 4. This window region 28 is additionally advantageous, if module 14 includes its own built-in display 18, as shown in FIG. 1B, or operating elements. Built-in display 18 is only used to output information, if mobile terminal 12 is not in holding fixture 10. After mobile terminal 12 has been inserted into holding fixture 10, the information outputted may be displayed automatically or manually on a video screen of mobile terminal 12. The absence of material in window region 28 promotes resonant inductive coupling through window region 28.

[0032] Holding fixture 10 may be a universal holder for securing different mobile terminals.

[0033] Control device 14 also includes electrical contacts 40, which are used for supplying electrical voltage. These electrical contacts 40 may be connected to holding device 10, so that holding fixture 10 may effect contactless charging of a supported mobile terminal 12 with the aid of a transmitting coil.

[0034] According to FIG. 2, a transmitter unit 24 for generating a resonant inductive coupling is built into holding fixture 10, e.g., along the right edge with respect to the two electrical contacts 26 of holding device 10. Transmitter unit 24 may be, e.g., a Qi transmitter.

[0035] A transmitting coil 22 of transmitter unit 24 is mounted on a separate support element 20, which may be an external, thin plastic substrate with a protective measure. In this context, holding fixture 10 includes a first electrical connecting element 42, and support element 20 includes a second electrical connecting element 44, which may have two electrically conductive plug pins.

[0036] With the aid of second electrical connecting element 44, support element 20 may be inserted into first electrical connecting element 42 of support frame 30. Second electrical connecting element 44 may also be used as an electrical connection between transmitting coil 22 and transmitter unit 24. If a mobile terminal 12 is not in holding fixture 10, then wireless charging is not needed. Separate support element 20 may then be removed from holding fixture 10. The user may then see built-in display 18 of module 14 through window region 28 of holding fixture 10. If mobile terminal 12 is used as a display, the separate support element 20 having transmitting coil 22 is inserted into holding fixture 10, and subsequently, mobile terminal 12 is placed into holding fixture 10. Transmitter unit 24 receives the operating voltage from electrical contacts 26 of holding fixture 10, which are connected to electrical contacts 40 of control unit 14.

[0037] The dimensions of separate support element 20 for transmitting coil 22, as well as the position and shape of transmitting coil 22, may be optimized in such a manner, that the efficiency of power transmission is optimized with the mechanical boundary conditions for holding fixture 10.

[0038] The further example of the holding fixture according to FIG. 3A is based on a rollable transmitting coil 22, which is incorporated completely in holding fixture 10. In this context, for example, an installation region for rollable transmitting coil 22 is situated to the right of the open section of holding fixture 10. One end of rollable transmitting coil 22 is fixed in position on a roll cylinder 38 securely mounted in the installation region of holding fixture 10.

[0039] FIG. 3B shows the unrolled state of a rollable transmitting coil 22, which is elastic and goes back into the rolled state in the absence of a tensile force. In addition, at roll cylinder 38, transmitting coil 22 is connected electrically to the transmitter unit 24 embedded in holding fixture 24. In this context, roll cylinder 38 may be mounted on a short or long side of support frame 30. It is also possible for roll cylinder 38 to be situated diagonally at a corner of support frame 30 and to be able to be unrolled diagonally across window region 28.

[0040] Roll cylinder 38 may be a flexible band 34, on which a flexible coil in the form of transmitting coil 22 is situated.

[0041] A hook 36 for securing transmitting coil 22 in the pulled-out state is on the other end of transmitting coil 22. A locking element 32, which, e.g., may take the shape of a lug and is intended for securing hook 36 of rollable transmitting coil 22, is situated on the left edge of window region 28 of holding fixture 10. If mobile terminal 12 is intended to be used as a display of module 14, then rollable transmitting coil 22 having hook 36 is pulled out of its installation region of support frame 30, and hook 36 is retained by locking element 32. Subsequently, the mobile terminal may be inserted into holding fixture 10. If built-in display 18 of module 14 is used for outputting information, hook 36 must be detached from locking element 32, and rollable transmitting coil 22 must go back again into its installation region of holding fixture 10, due to its elastic force. It should be pointed out that the retention of rollable transmitting coil 22 in the pulled-out state by a hook 36 and a locking element 32 is only one of the many implementation options, which is considered here as an exemplary embodiment due to its simplicity.

[0042] In a further example of holding fixture 10, as shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of windings 46 of transmitting coil 22 of transmitter unit 24 are wound along the edges of window region 28 of holding fixture 10. Among the boundary conditions for window region 28, the mechanical design of window region 28 is optimized in such a manner, that the transmitting coil 22 of transmitter unit 24 wound in this manner produces the maximum efficiency of power transmission during wireless charging of common mobile terminals 12. Transmitter unit 24 is still embedded in holding fixture 10 and is connected electrically to the two ends of windings 46.