Usb interface for charging electronic devices designed to equip a transport vehicle

CA 2966640 2017-05-101USB interface for recharging an electronic device, intended to equip a transport vehicleThe present invention relates to a USB interface for recharging an electronic device, intended to equip a transport vehicle, preferably an urban public transport vehicle.In certain cases, provision is made to equip a public transport vehicle with USB interfaces, allowing passengers to recharge an electronic device, for example a smartphone or a tablet. Such interfaces are carried by dedicated equipment.

The transport vehicle has only a small amount of such dedicated equipment, because it encroaches on the space that can be used to accommodate passengers or other equipment. The invention aims in particular to improve the situation by proposing to improve access to USB interfaces, without harming the vehicle's passenger capacity. To this end, the invention particularly relates to a USB interface for recharging electronic devices, intended to equip a transport vehicle comprising at least one support bar, characterized in that it comprises:- an electronic component comprising at least one USB socket, and connection elements suitable for connecting each USB socket to a cable,- a support box, shaped to be fixed to the support bar of the urban public transport vehicle, and comprising a housing for the electronic component.

The USB interfaces according to the invention can be arranged along any passenger grab bar, so that they are only arranged on equipment (the bars) pre-existing in the vehicle. In particular, in the case of buses, the grab bars are already equipped with stop button boxes, intended to warn the driver that a passenger wishes to stop at the next station.

The USB interfaces according to the invention have dimensions similar to those of such stop button housings, and can be arranged on the same support bars or as a replacement for these housings. Such USB interfaces are not bulky, and can be arranged in multiple locations in the vehicle, and therefore be easily accessible for a satisfactory number of passengers.CA 2966640 2017-05-102A USB interface according to the invention may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics, taken alone or in any technically conceivable combination.- The electronic component is fixed to the support housing in an at least partially removable manner.- The USB interface comprises means for removable fixing of at least part of the electronic component with the support housing, the removable fixing means comprising for example at least one grub screw.- The electronic component comprises: a first fixed part, fixed in the housing of the support box, and intended to be connected to the wiring, and a second removable part, carrying each USB socket, the first and second parts being removably connectable.- One of the first and second parts comprises at least one connection pin, in particular two connection pins, and the other of the first and second parts comprises, for each connection pin, at least one respective complementary plug.- The first and second parts comprise complementary keying means intended to ensure the connection of each pin in the correct corresponding respective plug.- The second removable part comprises: a front face, comprising each USB socket, a rear face, comprising each pin or plug, intermediate faces extending between the front and rear faces, the intermediate faces and the housing comprising complementary guide means for guiding the second removable part during its insertion and removal in the housing.- The support box comprises a contact face with the holding bar and in which the housing extends along a central axis substantially perpendicular to the contact face. The invention also relates to a transport vehicle, comprising a passenger room comprising at least one support bar, characterized in that it comprises at least one USB interface as defined above, the support box of which is fixed to the support bar and in which wiring passes through the support bar, this wiring being connected to the electronic component. The invention finally relates to a set of equipment for a transport vehicle, the transport vehicle comprising at least one support bar, the set of equipment comprising a vehicle stop request device comprising a push button, characterized in that it comprises a USB interface for rechargingCA 2966640 2017-05-103an electronic device as defined above, and in that the vehicle stop request device comprises a support box identical to the support box of the USB interface, whose housing receives the push button.The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example, and made with reference to the appended figures, among which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a USB interface according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention;- Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a USB interface according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention.There is shown, in Figure 1, a USB 10 interface according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Such an interface 10 is intended for recharging the battery of an electronic device, for example a smartphone or a tablet.

This method of recharging the battery via USB connection is conventional, and will therefore not be described in detail. The interface 10 is intended to equip a transport vehicle, preferably an urban public transport vehicle, and more particularly a bus.

Alternatively, it can be fitted to a tram or a metro. The transport vehicle has a support bar 12, intended to be held by a passenger in a standing position.

The holding bar 12 generally extends vertically, but it could alternatively extend horizontally, or in an oblique direction. The interface 10 comprises an electronic member 14 comprising at least one USB socket 16, and connection elements suitable for connecting each USB socket to a cable. The electronic structure of the USB socket 16 and of the connection elements is conventional, so that a person skilled in the art will have no difficulty in producing it. For example, the electronic component 14 comprises two USB sockets 16. The interface 10 also comprises a support box 18, shaped to be fixed on the retaining bar 12, along the retaining bar 12, and comprising a housing 20 for the electronic component 14.

The support housing 18 is for example made of plastic. The support housing 18 has a front surface 18A intended to be turned towards the passengers, into which the housing 20 opens.

The USB sockets 16 are therefore accessible from the side of this front surface 18A. The support box 18 also has a rear shape 18B, opposite the front surface 18A, and intended to be applied against the retaining bar 12.

Thus, the CA 2966640 2017-05-104 rear shape 18B has a curvature complementary to that of the holding bar 12. The rear shape 18B defines a contact face with the holding bar.

It should be noted that the housing 20 extends along a central axis substantially perpendicular to this contact face. The support housing 18 also comprises lateral surfaces 18C extending between the front surface 18A and the rear shape 18B. The interface 10 also comprises means 22 for fixing to the holding bar 12.

These fixing means 22 comprise, for example, screws, accessible from the front surface 18A. In this example, the support housing 18 has a shape similar to that of a stop button housing usually used in a bus.

The screw fixing means 22 are also the same as those used for such a stop button box. It will be noted that said wiring is housed in a conventional manner in the retaining bar 12, in the same way as for a bus stop button box of the state of the art. Advantageously, the electronic member 14 is fixed to the support box 18 in an at least partially removable manner.

By the terms at least partially removable, it is meant that a part of the electronic member 14 is removable, or that it is entirely removable. For this purpose, removable means 23 are provided for fixing the electronic member 14 in the housing 20.

These fixing means 23 are said to be removable when they allow the removal of at least a part of the electronic member 14, without damaging the electronic member 14, the support housing 18 or these fixing means 23. The removable fixing means 23 comprise for example at least one set screw, accessible from one of the lateral surfaces 18C of the support housing 18.

Such a point screw comprises a head provided with a particular engagement shape, for example formed by three holes intended to receive a specific tool for tightening or loosening. Figure 2 shows an interface 10 according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention.

In this figure, elements similar to those of figure 1 are designated by identical references. In accordance with this second embodiment, the electronic member 14 comprises a first fixed part 24, fixed in the housing 20 of the support box 18,CA 2966640 2017-05-10 and intended to be connected to the wiring, and a second removable part 26, carrying each USB socket 16. The first 24 and second 26 parts are removably connectable. For this purpose, one of the first 24 and second 26 parts comprises, for example, at least one connection pin 28, in particular two connection pins 28, and the other of the first 24 and second 26 parts comprises, for each connection pin 28, at least one respective complementary plug 30. In the example described, the pins are carried by the second part 26, and the plugs by the first part 24. Advantageously, the first 24 and second 26 parts comprise complementary keying means 32 intended to ensure that each pin 28 is properly connected in the corresponding respective plug 30, and not in another.

The keying means 32 comprise, for example, a keying lug carried by the second part 26, and a receiving notch carried by the first part 24. As shown in Figure 2, the second removable part 26 comprises:- a front face 26A, comprising each USB socket 16,- a rear face 26B, comprising each pin 28, and- intermediate faces 26C extending between the front 26A and rear 26B faces, the intermediate faces 26C and the housing 20 comprising complementary guide means for guiding the second removable part 26 during its insertion and removal in the housing 20. The guide means are for example simply formed by the intermediate faces themselves. According to this second embodiment, the second removable part 26 is fixed to the support housing 18 by the removable fixing means 23, which are of the same type as described previously. The interface 10 according to the second embodiment has the advantage of allowing easy replacement of damaged USB sockets.

In fact, this replacement is carried out by replacing only the second part 26.

This replacement does not require touching the connections with the wiring, but only removing the pins 28 of the second part to be replaced from the plugs 30, then inserting the pins of the second replacement part 26 into the corresponding plugs 30. It is clear that the interface 10 according to the invention is particularly simple to put in place, and takes up little space, so that it is easy to make such interfaces 10 available at various locations in the vehicle.CA 2966640 2017-05-106Advantageously, the interface 10 is part of a set of equipment for a transport vehicle, this set of equipment further comprising a device for requesting stopping of the vehicle comprising a push button.

In this case, the vehicle stop request device advantageously comprises a support box identical to the support box of the USB interface, the housing of which receives the push button.