US 12,403,769 B2
Modular vehicle HMI
Michael Harmon, Northville, MI (US); Rowell Dizon, Irvine, CA (US); Justin Yang, Boise, ID (US); Bradford Zercoe, San Jose, CA (US); Eryu Shi, Mission Viejo, CA (US); Daniel Smith, Rolling Hills Estates, CA (US); and Shane Patton, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/471,817.
Prior Publication US 2025/0100379 A1, Mar. 27, 2025
Int. Cl. B60K 35/10 (2024.01)
CPC B60K 35/10 (2024.01) 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A modular programmable widget for a vehicle, comprising:
a front housing and a back housing defining an enclosure;
one or more physical controls provided on a front face of the enclosure;
a contact pad exposed by the enclosure for electrical connection to a dock, the contact pad providing for transmission of data and power between the modular programmable widget and the dock; and
a toe-in alignment mechanism configured to facilitate guided engagement of the modular programmable widget with the dock, wherein a top face of enclosure defines a locating groove providing a concave surface along the length of the top face of the enclosure, the locating groove being sized to receive a corresponding protrusion of the dock during installation of the modular programmable widget to the dock, the groove and protrusion defining a pivot point for guiding rotation of the modular programmable widget into place such that the contact pad is in electrical contact with a dock connector of the dock.